Welcome to the Mastermind Analysis review of WWE Extreme Rules 2016. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are those of The Mastermind only, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of the entire F4R team. Let us know what you think in the comments, or by getting involved on Facebook! But for now, on with the show...
Pre-PPV Thoughts
While the discussion on “extreme” in the PG Era could keep me talking for days, there has recently been a lot of talk of how the WWE is currently in a “new” era. My current belief is this new era is akin to the ‘New Generation’ era, which saw the rise of the smaller wrestlers like Bret Hart, the 123 Kid, and Shawn Michaels. The current WWE product definitely felt stale, and that fact combined with an incredibly long injury list, has ushered in a throng of new talent being brought in from NXT, as well as a few notable scalps from New Japan. If Payback was the start, then I fully expect Extreme Rules to be a firm shove in whatever new direction the WWE are talking about. Of course, there’s the possibility that this “new era” is just a tag line to get the NXT guys over, in which case this could be just another faux-extreme night. That said, I’m hoping for a small handful of high spots to at least attempt to make it a memorable night.
Pre-Show
Dudleys & Big Cass
I know this wasn't a match, but I wanted to mention how confident Big Cass seemed on the microphone - in front of one of the best talkers in the game, in Bubba Ray. He seemed far more relaxed in himself, which helped put his personality over as a lovable giant, and someone you want to root for in a fight. I'm fine with the most decorated tag team of all time being beaten down by Cass single handed - it shows that he should be taken seriously, and the fact that the crowd was cheering for Enzo's return already just proves that when the two reunite, they will blow the roof off. This is a brilliant sign for NXT talent stepping up as Enzo & Cass haven't really changed their charachters, yet they have managed to get over with the main roster crowds.
Dolph Ziggler vs Baron Corbin
Prediction: I was a little surprised that Dolph came away with the win at Payback, and while I don't like the idea of parity booking, I think Corbin will be given the return match tonight. I'm guessing the 'no disqualifications' stipulation will come into play, but I wouldn't expect anything too OTT, as the Kick Off matches are often limited to avoid stealing any spotlight from the main show.
Match Analysis: Well I called that one pretty close to the mark! I must admit I was expecting more from the No DQ setting. I think they could have achieved the same result without the added stipulation, and it could have potentially gained Corbin more heat (imagine if he won via low blow if it wasn't legal!?!) but I guess the Extreme Rules theme warranted a stipulation, and it would have been pointless to have a No DQ match where both men stick to the regular rules. It was a standard filler, nothing horrible but entirely forgettable.
[**]
Main Show
The Usos vs The Club
Prediction: The Bloodline/Club story continues to be the most intriguing storyline going in the WWE at the moment. I’m far from emotionally invested in it, but I’m definitely curious to see how WWE play the story out. I think Gallows & Anderson need a solid win here, I’d like to see the Usos push them to the limit in a nice lengthy match, but I expect the Club to add an impressive victory over the former champs to their résumé tonight.
Match Analysis: I loved the Tornado stipulation! It’s a stip we don’t see too often, and it certainly helped turn this from a regular tag match into a brawl that perfectly showcased the character of Gallows and Anderson. I was surprised by the way the crowd reacted to the Usos. If they boo those two, then Roman stands no chance in hell… The match itself wasn’t ground breaking, but it didn’t have to be. The Club came out looking like destroyers, which is exactly what the WWE need them to be. I enjoyed it
[***]
Kalisto © vs Rusev
Prediction: Once again, Kalisto is paired with a powerful heel, so I’m fully expecting this match to follow the same formula as the matches with Ryback. Rusev hasn’t been a compelling character since losing the US title to John Cena, so a win here could potentially start his ascent back to the top of the mid-card; I would absolutely love to see Kalisto retain and have a feud with someone who can match his speed and athleticism, but WWE always go against my inner-mark; coupled with the fact Rusev earned this shot in a battle royale, it makes me think that WWE are going with the zero-storyline option to get the belt back on Rusev.
Match Analysis: Another solid match, nothing too flashy but good in-ring psychology. Rusev may finally be finding his momentum which was stolen from him when John Cena beat him at Wrestlemania, and when he joined League of Nations. The finish reminded me of the way Kevin Owens beat Sami Zayn for the NXT title. I’m glad they didn’t fully copy it, as it wouldn’t suit Rusev the same way it did Owens. While I think I preferred Kalisto’s work in his matches with Ryback, Rusev definitely feels like he’s getting back on track now. Plus, Lana looked amazing.
[***]
New Day vs The Vaudevillains
Prediction: In my Payback 2016 blog post, I stated that I truly believed the winner of the #1 contenders match stood a solid chance of winning the belts. I’m now in two minds about this statement, given the injury to Enzo Amore. My prediction for this match hinges on the original planned outcome of that match: if the Vaudevillains were always meant to go over, then I believe they may just win the belts tonight… But if Enzo & Cass were the original ones meant to win, I believe the New Day will be holding onto their gold.
Match Analysis: Third solid match in a row! I actually bought into the false-finish with the Whirling Dervish too! I was convinced that was it. Instead, we saw Xavier Woods put in the best in-ring performance we’ve ever seen from him. I’m overjoyed that he got the win as well, as this cements the fact he’s more than a mouthpiece. Strong outing from the Vaudevillains too, they showed a tenacity that was refreshing in the match, especially when things started to breakdown in the closing minutes of the match.
[***]
The Miz © vs Cesaro vs Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Prediction: On a recent podcast, we discussed how difficult it was to tell a good story in a muli-man match, but I think WWE have played this one perfectly. The latest run for the Miz has been his best work this decade, and all 3 contenders feel like they would be more than able to topple the Awesome one, and go on to have a decent title reign. I honestly can’t pick a winner in this one, given my love of three quarters of the participants. In the words of the Killer Ky Brand: I think the winner will be the fans!
Match Analysis: Fatal 4 Way matches have a tendency to be wild brawls that are near impossible to follow. What these 4 men created tonight was lightening in a bottle! It was clear from the first two moves of the match that this would be a story with 4 sides – not 2 separate battles waging simultaneously. The action never really strayed from the ring, which is impressive given the amount of people involved in the match. The ending, psychologically speaking, was amazing. Sami Zayn had the match won, but finally let his guard down and let his hatred for Kevin Owens flow. It’s rare for a wrestlers character to benefit from a loss, but time after time, Sami Zayn finds ways to lose matches but advancing his character. Very little to flaw in this match, potentially the match of the night!
[****1/2]
Chris Jericho vs Dean Ambrose
Prediction: While Chris Jericho’s recent role has definitely been entertaining, I feel his ring work has shown signs that he’s slowing down and can’t keep up with the ‘new era’ of wrestlers. Hopefully the confines of the cage, and the addition of weapons, will cover up the cracks that are starting to show with age. I am hopeful that Ambrose gets the win here, instead of just giving Jericho the win to even up their feud.
Match Analysis: Once again, another incredibly slow paced match, that may have actually made me doze off in the middle. It was on the most recent Figure 4 Radio Podcast (23/05/16) where we spoke about hardcore matches favouring the older, slower wrestlers – and I think this match is a perfect example. I just haven’t been impressed with Chris Jericho’s matches since he made his return, and despite getting the win, I think Ambrose deserves to be paired with someone a little more athletic. Despite the fact that WWE let them use thumbtacks, I think this was the lowest point on the main card so far – and that’s saying more about the strength of the other matches, than this one.
[**1/2]
Charlotte © vs Natalya
Prediction: I will not get started on their Payback match. Both women were capable of better, and deserved better than what they were given. So I am fully expecting THIS to be their crowning moment on the main roster. I still can’t see Natty walking away with the title and being the leader of the pack though, so I am expecting Charlotte to win. And the fact that Ric is banned from ringside just means she will hopefully gain some credibility as a heel in the process.
Match Analysis: Once again, Natty gets cheated out of her chance at the title. I still don’t think the ladies managed to match the quality of their NXT classic. It started off looking like they could be putting on a technical clinic in women’s wrestling, but they never really made it out of third gear. It was fine, but nothing special. As for Dana Brooke, somehow WWE have made her even more generic looking. In all honesty, I don’t believe she was ready to step up to the main roster. She looked extremely green in the ring tonight, but that could be played in her favour by making her an annoying pest in the same vein as Rockstar Spud in his early TNA run. The match was fine, nothing offensive, but I’m growing tired of saying ‘I expected more from them’.
[**]
Roman Reigns © vs AJ Styles
Prediction: Second Main Event PPV slot for these two, but the intrigue is still there. I don’t feel like their story has taken too many steps forward and I can’t decide whether that’s good or bad. On one hand, it’s good that WWE aren’t just steamrolling through Styles, but the definitely need to pull the trigger and confirm his stance one way or the other. Any more shades of grey, and the audience will start to disconnect with the character. I still think Reigns is retaining as it doesn’t feel like his run is over. Could this be the night Finn Balor makes his main roster appearance? Maybe turning on AJ and walking away with The Club in his corner…?
Match Analysis: I don’t want a positive review of this match to be confused with me liking Roman Reigns - Because I don’t. And by the sound of it, a lot of New Jersey agree with me. Although it did make me chuckle, when every time Roman did something impressive, they chant “you STILL suck”. Speaking of Roman being impressive, I LOVE the Razors Edge/Powerbomb move he hit. With a move like that, I don’t know why you’d still use the Superman Punch and Spear in such great quantities. I believe both guys showed an extreme amount of fight in the match. I tend to really enjoy matches when the competitors look absolutely exhausted because you know they are feeling it. I think this was potentially the best main event we’ve seen this year in all honesty. AJ really helped elevate Roman, and Reigns using some new moves that we haven’t seen before really helped win him over with some of the fans. And I know I mentioned a potential Balor debut being on the cards… but I am WAY happier with an appearance from the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. The crowd went ballistic for his return, and I hope this signals his return to full time competition, rather than a one-off appearance.
[****]
While the discussion on “extreme” in the PG Era could keep me talking for days, there has recently been a lot of talk of how the WWE is currently in a “new” era. My current belief is this new era is akin to the ‘New Generation’ era, which saw the rise of the smaller wrestlers like Bret Hart, the 123 Kid, and Shawn Michaels. The current WWE product definitely felt stale, and that fact combined with an incredibly long injury list, has ushered in a throng of new talent being brought in from NXT, as well as a few notable scalps from New Japan. If Payback was the start, then I fully expect Extreme Rules to be a firm shove in whatever new direction the WWE are talking about. Of course, there’s the possibility that this “new era” is just a tag line to get the NXT guys over, in which case this could be just another faux-extreme night. That said, I’m hoping for a small handful of high spots to at least attempt to make it a memorable night.
Pre-Show
Dudleys & Big Cass
I know this wasn't a match, but I wanted to mention how confident Big Cass seemed on the microphone - in front of one of the best talkers in the game, in Bubba Ray. He seemed far more relaxed in himself, which helped put his personality over as a lovable giant, and someone you want to root for in a fight. I'm fine with the most decorated tag team of all time being beaten down by Cass single handed - it shows that he should be taken seriously, and the fact that the crowd was cheering for Enzo's return already just proves that when the two reunite, they will blow the roof off. This is a brilliant sign for NXT talent stepping up as Enzo & Cass haven't really changed their charachters, yet they have managed to get over with the main roster crowds.
Dolph Ziggler vs Baron Corbin
Prediction: I was a little surprised that Dolph came away with the win at Payback, and while I don't like the idea of parity booking, I think Corbin will be given the return match tonight. I'm guessing the 'no disqualifications' stipulation will come into play, but I wouldn't expect anything too OTT, as the Kick Off matches are often limited to avoid stealing any spotlight from the main show.
Match Analysis: Well I called that one pretty close to the mark! I must admit I was expecting more from the No DQ setting. I think they could have achieved the same result without the added stipulation, and it could have potentially gained Corbin more heat (imagine if he won via low blow if it wasn't legal!?!) but I guess the Extreme Rules theme warranted a stipulation, and it would have been pointless to have a No DQ match where both men stick to the regular rules. It was a standard filler, nothing horrible but entirely forgettable.
[**]
Main Show
The Usos vs The Club
Prediction: The Bloodline/Club story continues to be the most intriguing storyline going in the WWE at the moment. I’m far from emotionally invested in it, but I’m definitely curious to see how WWE play the story out. I think Gallows & Anderson need a solid win here, I’d like to see the Usos push them to the limit in a nice lengthy match, but I expect the Club to add an impressive victory over the former champs to their résumé tonight.
Match Analysis: I loved the Tornado stipulation! It’s a stip we don’t see too often, and it certainly helped turn this from a regular tag match into a brawl that perfectly showcased the character of Gallows and Anderson. I was surprised by the way the crowd reacted to the Usos. If they boo those two, then Roman stands no chance in hell… The match itself wasn’t ground breaking, but it didn’t have to be. The Club came out looking like destroyers, which is exactly what the WWE need them to be. I enjoyed it
[***]
Kalisto © vs Rusev
Prediction: Once again, Kalisto is paired with a powerful heel, so I’m fully expecting this match to follow the same formula as the matches with Ryback. Rusev hasn’t been a compelling character since losing the US title to John Cena, so a win here could potentially start his ascent back to the top of the mid-card; I would absolutely love to see Kalisto retain and have a feud with someone who can match his speed and athleticism, but WWE always go against my inner-mark; coupled with the fact Rusev earned this shot in a battle royale, it makes me think that WWE are going with the zero-storyline option to get the belt back on Rusev.
Match Analysis: Another solid match, nothing too flashy but good in-ring psychology. Rusev may finally be finding his momentum which was stolen from him when John Cena beat him at Wrestlemania, and when he joined League of Nations. The finish reminded me of the way Kevin Owens beat Sami Zayn for the NXT title. I’m glad they didn’t fully copy it, as it wouldn’t suit Rusev the same way it did Owens. While I think I preferred Kalisto’s work in his matches with Ryback, Rusev definitely feels like he’s getting back on track now. Plus, Lana looked amazing.
[***]
New Day vs The Vaudevillains
Prediction: In my Payback 2016 blog post, I stated that I truly believed the winner of the #1 contenders match stood a solid chance of winning the belts. I’m now in two minds about this statement, given the injury to Enzo Amore. My prediction for this match hinges on the original planned outcome of that match: if the Vaudevillains were always meant to go over, then I believe they may just win the belts tonight… But if Enzo & Cass were the original ones meant to win, I believe the New Day will be holding onto their gold.
Match Analysis: Third solid match in a row! I actually bought into the false-finish with the Whirling Dervish too! I was convinced that was it. Instead, we saw Xavier Woods put in the best in-ring performance we’ve ever seen from him. I’m overjoyed that he got the win as well, as this cements the fact he’s more than a mouthpiece. Strong outing from the Vaudevillains too, they showed a tenacity that was refreshing in the match, especially when things started to breakdown in the closing minutes of the match.
[***]
The Miz © vs Cesaro vs Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Prediction: On a recent podcast, we discussed how difficult it was to tell a good story in a muli-man match, but I think WWE have played this one perfectly. The latest run for the Miz has been his best work this decade, and all 3 contenders feel like they would be more than able to topple the Awesome one, and go on to have a decent title reign. I honestly can’t pick a winner in this one, given my love of three quarters of the participants. In the words of the Killer Ky Brand: I think the winner will be the fans!
Match Analysis: Fatal 4 Way matches have a tendency to be wild brawls that are near impossible to follow. What these 4 men created tonight was lightening in a bottle! It was clear from the first two moves of the match that this would be a story with 4 sides – not 2 separate battles waging simultaneously. The action never really strayed from the ring, which is impressive given the amount of people involved in the match. The ending, psychologically speaking, was amazing. Sami Zayn had the match won, but finally let his guard down and let his hatred for Kevin Owens flow. It’s rare for a wrestlers character to benefit from a loss, but time after time, Sami Zayn finds ways to lose matches but advancing his character. Very little to flaw in this match, potentially the match of the night!
[****1/2]
Chris Jericho vs Dean Ambrose
Prediction: While Chris Jericho’s recent role has definitely been entertaining, I feel his ring work has shown signs that he’s slowing down and can’t keep up with the ‘new era’ of wrestlers. Hopefully the confines of the cage, and the addition of weapons, will cover up the cracks that are starting to show with age. I am hopeful that Ambrose gets the win here, instead of just giving Jericho the win to even up their feud.
Match Analysis: Once again, another incredibly slow paced match, that may have actually made me doze off in the middle. It was on the most recent Figure 4 Radio Podcast (23/05/16) where we spoke about hardcore matches favouring the older, slower wrestlers – and I think this match is a perfect example. I just haven’t been impressed with Chris Jericho’s matches since he made his return, and despite getting the win, I think Ambrose deserves to be paired with someone a little more athletic. Despite the fact that WWE let them use thumbtacks, I think this was the lowest point on the main card so far – and that’s saying more about the strength of the other matches, than this one.
[**1/2]
Charlotte © vs Natalya
Prediction: I will not get started on their Payback match. Both women were capable of better, and deserved better than what they were given. So I am fully expecting THIS to be their crowning moment on the main roster. I still can’t see Natty walking away with the title and being the leader of the pack though, so I am expecting Charlotte to win. And the fact that Ric is banned from ringside just means she will hopefully gain some credibility as a heel in the process.
Match Analysis: Once again, Natty gets cheated out of her chance at the title. I still don’t think the ladies managed to match the quality of their NXT classic. It started off looking like they could be putting on a technical clinic in women’s wrestling, but they never really made it out of third gear. It was fine, but nothing special. As for Dana Brooke, somehow WWE have made her even more generic looking. In all honesty, I don’t believe she was ready to step up to the main roster. She looked extremely green in the ring tonight, but that could be played in her favour by making her an annoying pest in the same vein as Rockstar Spud in his early TNA run. The match was fine, nothing offensive, but I’m growing tired of saying ‘I expected more from them’.
[**]
Roman Reigns © vs AJ Styles
Prediction: Second Main Event PPV slot for these two, but the intrigue is still there. I don’t feel like their story has taken too many steps forward and I can’t decide whether that’s good or bad. On one hand, it’s good that WWE aren’t just steamrolling through Styles, but the definitely need to pull the trigger and confirm his stance one way or the other. Any more shades of grey, and the audience will start to disconnect with the character. I still think Reigns is retaining as it doesn’t feel like his run is over. Could this be the night Finn Balor makes his main roster appearance? Maybe turning on AJ and walking away with The Club in his corner…?
Match Analysis: I don’t want a positive review of this match to be confused with me liking Roman Reigns - Because I don’t. And by the sound of it, a lot of New Jersey agree with me. Although it did make me chuckle, when every time Roman did something impressive, they chant “you STILL suck”. Speaking of Roman being impressive, I LOVE the Razors Edge/Powerbomb move he hit. With a move like that, I don’t know why you’d still use the Superman Punch and Spear in such great quantities. I believe both guys showed an extreme amount of fight in the match. I tend to really enjoy matches when the competitors look absolutely exhausted because you know they are feeling it. I think this was potentially the best main event we’ve seen this year in all honesty. AJ really helped elevate Roman, and Reigns using some new moves that we haven’t seen before really helped win him over with some of the fans. And I know I mentioned a potential Balor debut being on the cards… but I am WAY happier with an appearance from the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. The crowd went ballistic for his return, and I hope this signals his return to full time competition, rather than a one-off appearance.
[****]