Extreme Rules takes place tomorrow night (May 22), and like every other Pay-Per-View this year, here is a preview for all of the matches along with my predictions for the winners.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin (No Disqualification)
Baron Corbin debuted on the main roster at WrestleMania 32, where he won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. One night later on Monday Night Raw, he would face Dolph Ziggler and focus more on giving a beating than winning a match. Since then, Ziggler faced of multiple times, including on the Payback pre-show last month. At Extreme Rules, they are at it again on the pre-show, and this time there are no disqualifications.
Prediction:
Every time Corbin has won in this series, it has been after he lays Ziggler out. On the other hand, Ziggler won the match at Payback by a quick roll-up. Even though on paper the results are the same, this match benefits Corbin. Corbin has the ability to do whatever he wants to Ziggler (and vice versa), and a beatdown of Ziggler is exactly what Corbin needs, and should have, tomorrow night. Winner: Baron Corbin
The Usos vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (Tornado Tag Match)
Since Anderson and Gallows debuted, this match has been happening week after week on Raw or Smackdown, so there is no real excitement here aside from the fact that this is the first WWE Pay-Per-View match for Anderson and Gallows as a team.
Prediction:
Extreme Rules has the potential of being a huge night for the Club. This could include two wins (here and the main event), or the rumored chance of Finn Balor getting called up to the main roster as the “real leader” of the Club. However Extreme Rules ends, I expect Gallows and Anderson to get a win here. Winners: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho (Asylum Match)
Ambrose and Jericho have been feuding since the night after WrestleMania, and it seems to all culminate in this match. This included Ambrose’s own talk show, The Ambrose Asylum, to take over Jericho’s Highlight Reel. Jericho would take the show back, and destroy Mitch the potted plant in the process. To get revenge on Jericho, Ambrose destroyed Jericho’s $15,000 light-up jacket, which Jericho would respond by putting the Lunatic Fringe in a straight jacket. This has led to the first-ever Asylum Match, which is essentially a cage match with weapons at the top and you can only win by pinfall or submission.
Prediction:
The whole point of this match is that it is Ambrose’s creation. With that in mind, along with the fact that he lost to Lesnar at WrestleMania, Ambrose should get the win here. Winner: Dean Ambrose
Kalisto vs. Rusev – United States Championship
A few weeks ago on Monday Night Raw, Rusev won a battle royal to determine the #1 Contender for the United States Championship. Since then, he has assaulted Kalisto and fellow Lucha Dragon Sin Cara at every opportunity, which most recently featured a vicious Accolade locked in on Kalisto.
Prediction:
Kalisto’s United States Championship title reign has been a long one, but it has also been pretty stagnant. There has been no direction for “The Dominion of Dynamo” (thanks, Mauro Ranallo), and Rusev has looked better than ever in the past feew weeks since leaving the League of Nations. Either we’ll get another long Rusev title reign, or this is where John Cena asserts himself when he returns. Winner, and NEW United States Champion: Rusev
The New Day vs. The Vaudevillains – WWE Tag Team Championship
The New Day has had the Tag Team Championships for quite some time now, so they set up the #1 Contender’s Tag Team Tournament. The Vaudevillains would end up winning the tournament by default after Enzo Amore suffered a concussion in the middle of the finals. Since then, the Vaudevillains have attacked the New Day from behind multiple times, and even scored victories over the champions.
Prediction:
The Vaudevillains are brand new to the main roster, and they get no reaction from the crowd at all. The New Day, on the other hand, gets the crowd excited for every time they are on. If the New Day wins, the Tag Team Championships stay interesting. Winners, and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day
The Miz (c) vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens – Intercontinental Championship
The Miz has had the Intercontinental Championship since the night after WrestleMania, and has been in the right place at the right time to stay champion for this long. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Cesaro have all earned championship opportunities in the eyes of Shane McMahon, so they will all face each other in a fatal four-way match at Extreme Rules.
Prediction:
It seems like no matter where they are, Owens and Zayn are too preoccupied with each other to realize what is happening in front of them. While they destroy each other, either Cesaro or the Miz is going to pick up the victory. In this situation, it is likely for the Miz to take advantage of someone else’s dirty work and get the pinfall. Winner, and STILL Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Charlotte (c) vs. Natalya – WWE Women’s Championship (Submission Match)
Charlotte successfully defended the Women’s Championship against Natalya at Payback, but it was again because of the influence of Ric Flair. At Extreme Rules, Ric Flair is banned from ringside, and if he comes down to the ring at all, Charlotte will automatically forfeit the title. This is a submission match because Charlotte uses the Figure Eight Leg Lock and Natalya uses the Sharpshooter to finish matches.
Prediction:
Natalya, as she has said, has given Charlotte some of her best matches since Charlotte’s days in NXT. Without a doubt, this match will be a good one, but Charlotte needs to prove that she is a credible champion on her own, and Extreme Rules is the time to do it. Winner, and STILL WWE Women’s Champion: Charlotte
Roman Reigns (c) vs. AJ Styles – WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Extreme Rules Match)
Reigns and AJ Styles faced each other for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback, where Styles would win by disqualification and count-out. Since it is the “New Era,” the match was restarted for a third time and Reigns won by pinfall. Since Styles won twice beforehand, he has earned a rematch at Extreme Rules. Tensions are high, with both men watching their own backs for either the Usos or the Club, and in an Extreme Rules match, anything goes.
Prediction:
It is amazing that Styles has already been pushed to the moon since debuting at the Royal Rumble, but he deserves it. Even though he is already seen as a main event talent, it does not mean that he is guaranteed to win the title. Whether it comes down to the Usos, Finn Balor, or never-loses-a-match Reigns, I expect some kind of shenanigans to stop Styles from winning his first WWE title. Winner, and STILL WWE World Heavyweight Champion (via shenanigans): Roman Reigns
