WWE Extreme Rules 2019 aired live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Kickoff Show Results:
- Drew Gulak def. Tony Nese to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
- Shinsuke Nakamura def. Finn Balor to become the new Intercontinental Champion
Here are 9 takeaways from the PPV:
The Undertaker & Roman Reigns Picked Up The Win
Roman Reigns and The Undertaker battled Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre in a No Holds Barred Match to start off WWE Extreme Rules. The Undertaker got a great reaction as he made his way down to the ring. A loud “Undertaker!” chant broke out before the match began.
Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre started the match and circled each other in the ring. Reigns and McIntyre traded punches and then Drew launched Roman across the ring with a Belly to Belly Throw. Shane tagged in and hit Reigns with a flurry of punches in the corner of the ring.
Reigns battled back and unloaded ten punches to Shane’s face before tagging in The Undertaker. Taker hit Shane with a shoulder tackle and a Leg Drop for a two count. McMahon got in a couple of shots before Undertaker grabbed him by the throat and hurled him to the corner.
Undertaker leveled Shane with a Clothesline as the crowd chanted “you still got it!”. The Undertaker walked across the top rope and bashed Shane to the canvas. Drew McIntyre tagged in and took his time getting into the ring. McIntyre got right in Undertaker’s face and had a stare-down with him.
McIntyre and Undertaker traded punches before Drew Clotheslined Taker to the outside. Undertaker landed on his feet and sent McIntyre into the ring apron. Undertaker connected with a Leg Drop on the apron and tagged Roman back in.
Roman unloaded several strikes to McIntyre in the corner and followed it up with a big boot to the face. Shane pulled down the top rope and Reigns tumbled to the outside. Undertaker grabbed a steel chair and went after Shane as he retreated up the entrance ramp.
Drew slammed Roman into the steel steps as Undertaker got back onto the ring apron. McIntyre connected with a Suplex and went for the cover but Reigns kicked out at two. Reigns hit a Samoan Drop and both superstars fell to the mat. McIntyre charged at Roman but Reigns got out of the way and Drew crashed into the ring post.
Undertaker and Shane tagged in and Taker connected with a Clothesline. Undertaker hit a Splash in the corner and followed it up with a big boot. Shane stumbled to his feet and Undertaker sent him out of the ring with a Clothesline. Undertaker cleared off an announce table.
The Undertaker set up Shane for the Last Ride but Elias interfered and hit Taker with a guitar. Reigns went after Elias but got rocked by a Claymore Kick from McIntyre. Elias went to hit Undertaker again but The Phenom grabbed him by the throat. McIntyre exploded into frame with another Claymore Kick that knocked Undertaker to the floor.
Elias, Shane, and McIntyre set up Undertaker on the announce table and McMahon made his way to the top rope. Shane hit a massive Elbow Drop on Undertaker through the table as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. The trio brought Undertaker back into the ring as Reigns was still down in the timekeeper’s area.
Shane brought in a trash can as Elias and Drew set up Undertaker in the corner of the ring. Shane mocked Undertaker’s throat slash taunt and hit him with the Coast to Coast Dropkick. Reigns hit Elias with a Superman Punch but was knocked back down by a Russian Leg Sweep by McIntyre.
McMahon was about to go for the cover but The Dead Man sat up in the middle of the ring. The Undertaker planted Shane with a Chokeslam and then delivered another one to Elias. McIntyre snuck up behind Undertaker and went for the Claymore but Reigns intercepted him with a Spear. Roman sent Shane to the Undertaker and he planted him with the Tombstone Piledriver for the pinfall victory.
The Undertaker looked a hell of a lot better tonight than he did at Super ShowDown against Goldberg. I didn’t expect much from this match but was pleasantly surprised. Extreme Rules started off well and the crowd was electric. Hopefully that energy from the Philadelphia crowd keeps up for the remainder of the PPV.
The Revival Retained The RAW Tag Team Championships
Dawson and Jey Uso started off the match. The Usos dominated early and The Revival rolled out of the ring to try and regroup. The Usos connected with a Suicide Dive before the action returned to the ring.
The Revival then isolated Jey in the ring for several minutes and took turns beating him down. Jimmy finally got the tag but the referee was out of position and didn’t see it. The Revival took advantage of this distraction and hit Jey with several cheap shots while Jimmy was arguing with the referee.
Wilder connected with a Powerbomb on Jey and went for the cover but Jey was able to kick out at the last moment. Jimmy finally was able to tag in but The Revival quickly hit him with the Shatter Machine for the pinfall victory.
Bayley Overcame The Odds To Retain Her Title
Bayley defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross in a Handicap Match. Bliss and Cross controlled the majority of the match but just couldn’t keep the champ down. Alexa went for Twisted Bliss but Bayley was able to get her knees up.
Bliss shoved Bayley off the apron and onto the steel steps outside the ring. Bayley was able to battle back and lock a submission on Cross and Bliss at the same time in the middle of the ring.
Alexa bit Bayley’s hand to break free but Bayley sent her tumbling out of the ring. Bayley then slammed Cross to the canvas and followed it up with the Elbow Drop off the top rope to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Aleister Black Defeated Cesaro
Aleister Black spent the last couple of months on SmackDown sitting in a dark room waiting for someone to knock on the door. Cesaro finally did and the two faced off in a singles match tonight at Extreme Rules.
Cesaro controlled the action early but Black stayed persistent and focused his attack on Cesaro’s left knee. Cesaro connected with a ridiculous Springboard Uppercut and went for the cover but somehow Aleister was able to kick out at two.
Aleister applied a Knee Bar but Cesaro countered into the Sharpshooter. Cesaro transitioned into a Crossface but Black escaped by elbowing Cesaro several times in his injured knee. Cesaro went for the Neutralizer but Aleister escaped and connected with Black Mass for the pinfall victory.
The crowd was into this match and even chanted “this is awesome!”. I’m still waiting on Cesaro getting the push he has deserved for years, but at the very least Aleister Black looked dominant tonight. Black was a star in NXT and hopefully WWE is able to recreate that on the main roster.
New Day Captured The SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Daniel Bryan and Rowan defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Heavy Machinery and New Day in a Triple Threat Match tonight at WWE Extreme Rules.
Rowan beat the hell out of Xavier Woods to start things off. Bryan attacked Big E outside the ring and slammed him into the steel steps. Woods tagged in Otis as Bryan tagged in at the same time.
Otis hit Bryan with a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Powerslam. The crowd got behind Otis as he hit Bryan with a Splash in the corner. Daniel fell to the mat and Otis connected with he Caterpillar Elbow Drop.
Tucker tagged in and slammed Bryan to the mat for a two count. Big E tagged in and planted Tucker with a Belly to Belly Suplex. Big E went for a Splash but Tucker got his knees up and Otis tagged back in.
Heavy Machinery connected with a Suplex/Crossbody and Otis went for the cover but Rowan broke it up. Bryan hit Woods with the Running Knee off the ring apron as Big E Clotheslined Rowan to the outside. Big E then hit Bryan with a Spear off the apron as Otis got back to his feet inside the ring.
Otis made it seem like he was going for a Suicide Dive but stopped short and made his way to the apron. Otis hit a Crossbody off the top rope and Tucker hit a Crossbody of his own off the top rope onto Big E, Woods, and Rowan. Heavy Machinery hit Big E with the Compactor but Woods broke up the cover at two.
Rowan got back into the ring but Heavy Machinery hit him with a couple Splashes in the corner. Big E planted Rowan with a Superplex but didn’t realize Bryan had tagged himself in. Bryan hit a Diving Headbutt of the top rope and then applied the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring.
Big E was able to break free and Bryan hit him with a few Yes Kicks. Daniel slapped Big E in the face a couple of times and Big E turned him inside out with a massive Clothesline. Big E caught Bryan and Woods tagged in. New Day then hit Midnight Hour on Bryan for the pinfall victory.
I don’t understand this decision at all. Heavy Machinery made the most sense here because Otis completely over with the crowd. At the very least, have Bryan and Rowan pin New Day to retain the titles and set up a title match against Heavy Machinery at SummerSlam. New Day are an entertaining team but I see no reason for them to be champions right now.
AJ Styles Won The United States Championship
Ricochet defended his United States Championship against AJ Styles tonight at Extreme Rules. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows attacked Ricochet before the match started.
Ricochet recovered and dominated the beginning of the match. Ricochet sent AJ to the outside but got distracted by Gallows. AJ capitalized with a forearm to the back of the head and then slammed Ricochet into the ring post.
Back in the ring, AJ connected with an Atomic Drop and went for the cover but Ricochet kicked out at two. Ricochet battled back with an Enziguri and a Hurricanrana that sent AJ to the corner.
Ricochet took out Anderson and Gallows with a Crossbody and followed it up with a Springboard Moonsault on Styles for a near fall. AJ connected with a Neckbreaker and then grabbed his knee after the move. The referee asked AJ if he wanted to stop the match but Styles declined.
AJ Suplexed Ricochet into the turnbuckle and went for the cover but Ricochet was able to power out at two. Styles lifted Ricochet up for a Powerbomb but Ricochet countered into a rough looking Hurricanrana for a two count.
Dueling “AJ Styles!” and “Ricochet!” chants broke out as the two superstars traded jabs in the middle of the ring. Ricochet connected with an Enziguri but AJ responded with the Pele Kick. Styles followed that up with a Brainbuster for another near fall.
Ricochet delivered a beautiful Shooting Star Press and went for the cover but Karl Anderson shouted at the referee that AJ’s foot was under the bottom rope and the match continued.
Anderson charged at Ricochet but Ricochet caught him with a boot to the face. Gallows then tripped up Ricochet on the top rope as the referee was distracted by Anderson. AJ then hit the Styles Clash off the top rope for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles is the new United States Champion.
Styles and AJ put on a solid match tonight. They are capable of much more but this match was still entertaining. I would have liked to see Ricochet get a longer title run, but hopefully this will lead to Ricochet getting a rematch at SummerSlam. These two superstars are fully capable of putting on a classic and we didn’t see that tonight.
Owens Squashed Ziggler & Took A Shot At Shane McMahon
Kevin Owens faced Dolph Ziggler tonight at Extreme Rules. Dolph Ziggler started trash-talking with Owens before the match and that didn’t turn out to well. Ziggler slapped Owens in the face and Kevin hit Dolph with a Stunner right when the match started. Owens quickly pinned Ziggler for the easy victory.
After the match, Owens grabbed the microphone and continued where he left off on SmackDown. Owens said that Shane McMahon can kiss his ass and go straight to hell.
Shinsuke Nakamura won the Intercontinental Championship tonight during the Kickoff Show against Finn Balor. That should have been a match that was built up for weeks and the payoff was tonight. Instead it was an afterthought and the majority of people that tuned in for the show didn’t even see it.
I’m not sure why this match had to be on the main card over a title match. Braun Strowman and Lashley had a moderately entertaining Last Man Standing Match tonight that really didn’t need to be on the main card as well. While I find Kevin Owens entertaining, this segment could have been on the Kickoff Show or this Tuesday night on SmackDown.
Kofi Kingston Retained In A Terrible Match
Kofi Kingston defended his WWE Championship against Samoa Joe tonight at Extreme Rules. Joe beat the hell out Kofi to start things off and kept Kingston grounded. This continued for several painfully boring minutes before Kingston finally battled back with a Crossbody.
Joe connected with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Kofi kicked out at two. Joe followed that up with a Powerbomb and applied a Crossface in the middle of the ring. Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise but Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch. Kofi escaped but Joe slammed him to the mat and hit a Senton for a two count. Kingston then hit the Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory.
The crowd simply didn’t give a damn that Kofi Kingston won this match. There was no reaction when Kofi won, everyone just sat in silence. This match was a total dud and made Samoa Joe look weak as hell. I wasn’t expecting Samoa Joe to win because WWE clearly doesn’t see him as a star for whatever ridiculous reason. However, I wasn’t expecting the match to be this terrible. I think Samoa Joe is an amazing talent that has been wasted in WWE. There is just no reason to take him seriously anymore on WWE television and will view his future promos as a waste of time because it ultimately leads nowhere.
Brock Lesnar Cashed In To Become The New Universal Champion
Universal Champion Seth Rollins and RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch faced Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans in a Winners Take All Match. Rollins and Lynch had matching black and yellow gear for the match. Becky booted Lacey to the outside to start the match off.
Lynch remained on the attack and kicked Evans in the face as she got back into the ring. Baron Corbin tagged in and Rollins greeted him with a forearm to the face. Corbin rolled up Seth for a two count and then Rollins planted him with a Slingblade.
Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins beat the hell out of Corbin and Evans with kendo sticks and sent them out of the ring. Rollins went for a Suicide Dive but Corbin hit him with a steel chair.
Becky hit Evans with a Bulldog on top of the chair and followed it up with an Exploder Suplex on top of two steel chairs. Lynch placed a chair on top of Evans and hit a Leg Drop for a two count. Becky climbed to the top rope but Corbin dragged Evans out of the way.
Rollins through a chair at Corbin and Baron caught it. Becky then connected with a Dropkick to Corbin and Seth followed it up with a Clothesline that sent both superstars out of the ring.
Lacey attacked Lynch and hit a Moonsault off the top rope for a near fall. Evans went for the Woman’s Right but Lynch ducked under it. Lynch connected with a Reverse DDT and tagged Rollins back in.
Seth grabbed a table from under the ring and Becky did the same. The couple then set up the tables for what felt like an eternity as somehow Corbin and Evans were still down. They finally got up and sent Rollins and Lynch into the barricade. Corbin launched Seth into the timekeeper’s area as Evans sent Becky into the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Lacey and Corbin beat the hell out of Seth Rollins with kendo sticks. Corbin and Lacey then planted Rollins and Becky with Chokeslams for a two count. Lynch and Rollins battled back and Suplexed Evans and Corbin onto the entrance ramp.
Lynch then hit a Leg Drop on Evans through the table as Rollins stood on top of the ring post. Seth connected with a massive Frog Splash on Corbin through the other table. Rollins rolled Corbin back into the ring and went for The Stomp but Corbin countered with a Powerbomb. Corbin followed it up with Deep Six and went for the cover but Becky broke it up at the last moment.
Baron Corbin then planted Becky Lynch with End of Days and the crowd erupted in boos. Seth Rollins lost his mind and beat the hell out of Corbin with a kendo stick and then a steel chair. Rollins hit Corbin with The Stomp as Lacey Evans retreated up the ramp. Rollins hit another Stomp and then a third one for the pinfall victory. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins retained their titles.
After the match, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman came down to the ring with the MITB briefcase. Lesnar planted Rollins with a couple German Suplexes and Heyman told the referee that they wanted to cash in. Mike Rome announced it and the match was made official. Lesnar hit Rollins with the F5 to become the new Universal Champion.
This match was much better than I expected to be and the ending was great. Lesnar becoming Universal Champion once again isn’t ideal but it made for a great moment tonight at the PPV. Overall, Extreme Rules was a decent show. The tag match to open the show and the tag match to close the event were the best matches of the night. Both the WWE Championship and United States Championship matches were letdowns in my opinion.
