WWE Extreme Rules LIVE Review

Hello All. I will be updating LIVE tonight during Extreme Rules. Enjoy!

Santino beat Miz in the pre-show. Jobbers gotta job.

They played a hype video for Lesnar/Cena to start the show.

Kane vs Randy Orton
The two brawled to start. Kane hit an upper cut that sent Orton to the outside. Kane went under the ring to get a pipe. Orton kicked Kane, then took the pipe and used it on him. Kane went to the outside and caught Orton with another upper cut. The two brawled through the crowd. Orton took over and ran his knee into the head of Kane. Kane bodyslammed Orton on the floor and got a two count. Kane hit a boot to the head for another two. They continued to brawl through the crowd until they got to the stage area. Orton hit a dropkick for two, then Kane hit a big boot for two. The two went backstage where Kane threw Orton into some crates. Orton threw Kane through a door where some wrestlers were watching the show. Zack Ryder tried to hit some punches on Kane but Kane shoved him off. Kane threw a chair at Orton.

The two brawled back to the ring. Orton hit some of his signature moves then went for a chair. Orton hit Kane with multiple chair shots. Orton started to take apart the announce table. He hit his signature DDT off the announce table. Orton only scored a two count. Orton went for the RKO but Kane threw him into the ring post. Orton crotched Kane on the top rope then hit a superplex for two. Kane countered an RKO into a chokeslam for only a two. Kane went for a Tombstone, but Orton countered out an hit an RKO for the win.

WINNER: Randy Orton
Match Analysis: **3/4: Not a bad brawl to start the show, although ending it in the ring takes away from the Falls Count Anywhere stip. The crowd brawl is always fun since the WWE doesn't do it that often. Kane was on offense for most of everything until the end. Orton picks up a much needed win and hopefully moves on from Kane. The high spots in the match were done effectively. Good way to start the show.

Backstage, Eve and John Laurinaitis toasted to Ace being in charge. Teddy Long was the server with a big name tag. Triple H called Johnny and he stepped out.

Brodus Clay vs Dolph Ziggler
Dolph couldn't get Brodus down early. Swagger distracted Clay and Ziggler drop kicked him to the outside. Swagger took out Clay outside the ring but Clay got back in. Ziggler jumped Clay immediately. Brodus caught Dolph with a punch to the gut, but Ziggler took Brodus out with a drop kick to the knee. Ziggler applied a head lock. Brodus fought out of the sleeper and hit Dolph with a headbutt after he bounced off the ropes. Brodus hit a splash for the win.

WINNER: Brodus Clay
Match Analysis: *1/2: Not a bad short match. But only the WWE would put Brodus Clay in a match against Ziggler in Chicago where you know Ziggler will get cheers. Ziggler got some credible offense in and sold that head butt to the gut like a champ. Decent filler match.

They showed a clip from earlier where it was determined that Cody Rhodes/Big Show would be a Tables Match via the Rouelette Wheel.

Intercontinental Championship: Big Show (c) vs Cody Rhodes: Tables Match
Big Show hit some chops on Cody earlier then tossed him pretty high in the air. Big Show set up a table but Cody took out his knee. Big Show countered and threw Cody into the barricade. Show tossed Cody back into the ring and brought a table in as well. Big Show set the table up in the corner, but Cody jumped off the table and hit a Disaster Kick on Big Show. Cody charged but Show hit a shoulder tackle. Back on the outside Show threw Cody into the barricade again. Big Show walked the apron back into the ring, and Cody drop kicked him and Big Show's leg went through the table. Cody wins.

After the match Big Show hit a spear on Cody Rhodes then chokeslammed him through one table and press slammed him through a table to the outside.

WINNER: Cody Rhodes
Match Analysis: *1/2: Kind of a bland match with a very unique ending. I was hoping they would actually keep Cody away from the IC Title and move him on to something else. Nothing stood out from the match except the ending. Typical Big Show match.

Backstage, Daniel Bryan said he will win the World Title. He made fun of the Chicago crowd, like that will stop them from cheering him. As Bryan walked away, A.J. creepily looked on in the background.

World Heavyweight Championship: Sheamus (c) vs Daniel Bryan: 2 out of 3 Falls
Sheamus came out wearing an "18 Seconds" shirt. Sheamus took down Bryan with a shoulder tackle to start. Sheamus went for an early Brogue Kick but Bryan ducked. Sheamus applied an early arm bar to work over Bryan. Sheamus hit a rolling senton on Bryan for two. Sheamus applied a Cloverleaf but Bryan got to the ropes. Sheamus worked over Bryan in the corner. Sheamus charged but Bryan jumped over using the turnbuckle and hit a clothesline. Sheamus rolled to the outside. Bryan charged at him off the apron but Sheamus caught him and threw him into the barricade. Bryan knocked Sheamus off the top rope. Bryan worked over Sheamus in the ring. Bryan applied a unique arm bar where he was pushing down on the shoulder with his boots. Sheamus fought out but Bryan caught him with a running knee and then drop kick. The two exchanged punches mid ring. Bryan applied another armbar. Sheamus fought out with some elbows and a shoulder to the gut. Sheamus hit his chest punches in the ropes. Sheamus hit a fall away slam for two. Bryan dropped Sheamus into the corner and hit a kick for two. Bryan went for a hurricarana from the top but Sheamus countered and hit his top rope battering ram for two. Sheamus charged at Bryan but Bryan ducked and lowered the top rope. Bryan went to jump through the ropes but Sheamus caught him with a punch. Sheamus went for the Celtic Cross but Bryan countered with a roll up for two. Bryan tried numerous times to apply the YES Lock. Sheamus charged Bryan but Bryan moved and Sheamus went into the ring post. Bryan started working over Sheamus left arm with kicks. Bryan did not stop during the referees five count and was disqualified.

Sheamus 1 Daniel Bryan 0

After the reset Bryan went back to work on the shoulder and then applied the YES Lock. Sheamus passed out and the referee awarded him the second fall.

Sheamus 1 Daniel Bryan 1

The doctors checked on Sheamus and he said he was good to go. The referee started the third fall and Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick immediately but only got a two. Bryan went back to work with kicks to Sheamus arm, then a kick to the head but only got two. Bryan went to the top but Sheamus knocked him off. Sheamus went for a superplex but Bryan knocked him off. Bryan went for a diving headbutt but Sheamus moved. Bryan charged Sheamus in the corner but Sheamus moved. Sheamus hit a couple axe handles and the Irish Curse Back Breaker. Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick for the win.

WINNER: Sheamus
Match Analysis: ***1/2: I would have given this four stars but had to take away a half star for the falls. Sheamus didn't tap out, he passed out from the YES Lock. Then Bryan just jobs rather quickly and easily at the end. The match psychology was there. The slow parts early on built to everything else that went on during the match, so I was good with it. Bryan showed he can work a main event match and look good during it. Hopefully this isn't the end of Bryan's push.

Ryback vs 2 Jobbers
A couple of jobbers were in the ring, saying two was greater than one. Ryback came out and destroyed both men.

C.M. Punk was interviewed. He said Jericho is focusing too much on the psychological game and will kick his ass tonight.

WWE Championship: C.M. Punk (c) vs Chris Jericho: Chicago Street Fight
Both men charged at each other after the bell as Punk got the upper hand. Punk tossed a couple chairs in the ring then got a kendo stick. Punk hit Jericho with it a couple of times. Jericho ran out the ring, Punk chased him around then Punk caught him with a clothesline inside the ring. Punk hit him again with the kendo stick. Punk set a chair up in the corner. Jericho grabbed the ref and count Punk with a poke to the eye. Jericho hit Punk with the kendo stick and knocked Punk off the apron with a drop kick. Jericho hit some punches on Punk on the outside and then connected with a headbutt. Punk fought back in the ring with some chops but Jericho ducked a charging high knee and Punk fell to the outside. Jericho taunted Punk's family and Punk's sister slapped Jericho. Jericho charged her but Punk intercepted.

Punk snapped and threw Jericho threw the cover of the announce table. Jericho got the upper hand again and hit Punk with the monitor and the remaining hood of the announce table. Punk dropped Jericho's head off the ropes. He went to the top but stumbled, and Jericho hit Punk again with the kendo stick. Jericho went to the outside and grabbed a beer can and dumped it all over Punk. Jericho grabbed another and started drinking it. That gave Punk time to hit a kick and go back to work with the kendo stick. Punk it a dropkick with the kendo stick being held by his knee. High knee/bulldog combo by Punk. Punk hit a low blow. Jericho countered out of a GTS attempt and Punk countered out of the Walls.

Jericho knocked Punk down and crotched him on the apron. Punk eventually knocked Jericho off and hit the Macho Man Elbow for two. Jericho elbowed out of the GTS and hit a bulldog. Jericho went for the Lionsault but Punk caught him. Jericho countered another GTS attempt and then tossed Punk into the chair set up in the corner. Punk hit a Codebreaker then applied the Walls of Jericho. Punk eventually got to the rope, but there are no rope breaks in a street fight. Punk reached under the ring and grabbed a fire extinguisher. Punk sprayed Jericho in the face with it. Punk hit Jericho with the fire extinguisher in the ribs and Jericho rolled to the outside. Punk kicked Jericho in the back of the head and he fell on the Spanish announce table. Punk went to the top rope and hit the Macho Man Elbow through the table.

Jericho kicked out at two in the ring. Punk applied the Anacaonda Vice in the ring, but Jericho grabbed the kendo stick and broke the hold. Punk hit Jericho in the gut with a chair, but Jericho hit the Codebreaker using the chair but only got a two count. Jericho went to put Punk in the GTS, but Punk countered out. He catapulted Jericho into the exposed turnbuckle and hit the GTS for the win.

WINNER: C.M. Punk
Match Analysis: ****1/2: I'm giving this the same rating as their Wrestlemania match but this was two different matches. While Mania was a showcase of the twos technical skills in the ring, this was just a pure brawl. One of the better brawls the WWE has had in some time. A handful of big spots. The Elbow Drop through the table was great. Everything was great throughout the match. It is where the feud was being built too and it was great. Both men deserve praise for their work throughout. Great counters and both men came out of the match looking good.

Eve told Beth Phoenix backstage that she wasn't medically cleared to compete. Eve told the Bellas it wasn't Kharma.

The Bellas waited in ring for their opponent, and it was Layla.

Divas Championship: Nikki Bella (c) vs Layla
The Bellas tried twin magic, but it failed and Layla won with a neckbreaker

WINNER: Layla

Matt Striker talked to John Laurinaitis. He said Triple H and himself talked about business that will be addressed Monday on RAW.

Brock Lesnar vs John Cena: Extreme Rules Match
Lesnar took down Cena early and used some MMA strikes then hit a clothesline. Cena's head was busted open. Cena took Lesnar down, but Lesnar regained control. The doctors tried to stop Cena's cut and Cena charged at Lesnar but Lesnar immediately took him down again. Lesnar hit a knee to Cena and kicked him to the outside. The refs looked at Cena again. Cena caught Lesnar with an elbow and went for an AA, but Lesnar countered with some German suplexes. Cena fought back with elbows again, and one knocked Lesnar into the ref who was knocked down. Lesnar applied an armlock and tossed Cena to the outside.

Back in the ring, Lesnar grabbed Cena's chain but threw it down. Lesnar hit a knee to the ribs then put Cena's chain around his feet. Lesnar clotheslined Cena, then put him in a tree of woe position on the corner. Lesnar hit some punches on Cena. Lesnar walked to the ref but walked back. Cena hit some punches on Lesnar but Lesnar tossed Cena into the steel steps. Lesnar tossed Charles Robinson back in the ring. Cena went for an AA, but Lesnar countered and hit an F5 which also knocked Charles Robinson down again. Another ref came down but Cena kicked out at two. Lesnar clotheslined the ref. Lesnar put some steps in the ring but Cena fought back. Lesnar applied Kimura arm lock, but Cena fought out. Cena went to the top for a leg drop but Lesnar moved.

Lesnar taunted Cena on the steps. He jumped off and went for what appeared to be a dive elbow off the steps but missed and both men landed awkwardly. Brock laughed it off and went for it again, but Cena caught him with a chain to the head. Lesnar was busted open. Cena hit an AA on Lesnar on the steps for the win. Lesnar walked off refusing medical help.

John Cena then cut a promo, saying something about leaving and then thanking the fans in Chicago.

WINNER: John Cena
Match Analysis: ***1/4
Booking Analysis: -5,000 ********
First let me say that the brawl itself was awesome. Sure there were a few miss timed spots, but we haven't seen anything like that in the WWE in quite some time. The blood was a nice touch. Some of the strikes looked legit painful and the match did a good job of hiding Lesnar's in ring rust. It looked like it was building to something good.

And then you have the finish of the match. I, for the life of me, have NO FUCKING IDEA why they booked Brock Lesnar to LOSE CLEAN in the middle of the ring. Lesnar dominated the whole match. Then Cena hits two moves and wins? Let alone the fact that Cena did it with a bad arm that Brock worked over the whole match. That's not how you book Brock Lesnar's first match back. I'm sure Vince McMahon and HHH were loving it in the back. "SEE GUYS WWE IS BETTER THAN UFC." Quite possibly the dumbest thing the WWE could do. Why should we care about Brock Lesnar now? He lost to John Cena, just like everyone else? I can't comprehend any of this at all.

OVERALL
Had the show not ended like it did, this PPV was looking at about a 9. But that ending was just so dumb that it knocks it down a level. The two Title matches were good, especially Punk/Jericho. I wish those guys could wrestle every night. A great way to apparently end the feud. Bryan/Sheamus was good except for the falls. I didn't like how they went down. The Kane/Orton opener was fun, and the ending to Big Show/Cody was unique. The booking of Lesnar/Cena bothers me so much that it knocks the PPV down to a 7. I would recommend the replay.

That's all from me tonight. I'm done ranting.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka