Welcome to our coverage of WWE’s Horror Show at Extreme Rules from WWE’s Performance Center.
Our Extreme Rules POST Show with John Pollock & Wai Ting will be streaming LIVE immediately after the show for Double Double, Iced Capp & Espresso members of the POST Wrestling Café.
RESULTS:
*Kevin Owens over Murphy in 8:52 on the kickoff show
*Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura over New Day in a Tables Match in 10:24 to win the SmackDown tag titles
*Bayley over Nikki Cross in 12:21 to retain the SmackDown women’s title
*Seth Rollins over Rey Mysterio via eye extraction in 11:43
*Sasha Banks over Asuka in 20:13
*Drew McIntyre over Dolph Ziggler in 15:24 to retain the WWE title
The kickoff was hosted by Scott Stamford and Peter Rosenberg with additional segments involving Renee Young, Booker T., and JBL breaking down the matches.
KEVIN OWENS VS MURPHY
Owens went for the stunner early that was blocked and met with a flying knee. Owens caught him off the turnbuckle and landed a DDT. Owens followed with a cannonball that Murphy kicked out from.
Murphy landed the Meteora after sending Owens off the turnbuckle. Murphy hit a flying knee, the Kamigoye, and a brainbuster for a two-count. Owens blocked a superplex and dropped Murphy and hit a twisting moonsault for another two-count.
Owens ducked the Meteora, hit the superkick and stunner for the win.
WINNER: Kevin Owens at 8:52
These two didn’t care about their placement as they went out and worked their asses off for their allotment of time. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is one of the top matches we see tonight. This was a strong performance from both men.
The opening video compared this pay-per-view to a car crash you can’t look away from. “Don’t worry it will all be over soon.”
NEW DAY VS SHINSUKE NAKAMURA & CESARO IN A TABLES MATCH FOR THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
Kingston was wearing an armband for Breonna Taylor. Big E. had one for Congressman John Lewis, who died on Friday at the age of 80.
On the floor, Kingston dropkicked Nakamura into the plexiglass and a seated version sent Cesaro into the steps. Cesaro recovered and attacked Big E. with the steps and they double-teamed Kingston inside the ring.
Big E. came back and speared Cesaro to the floor that was directly beside a table. Big E. launched Kingston over the top rope and was met with a table held up by Cesaro and Nakamura.
New Day stacked a pair of tables on the floor and Big E. tried to superplex Cesaro with Nakamura blocking it. Then, Kingston tried for a ‘rana off the turnbuckle, it was blocked, and Nakamura assisted Cesaro and powerbombed Kingston through the two tables.
WINNERS: Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura in 10:24 to win the SmackDown tag titles
Instead of near falls, this was built around table teases and it was helped by having people react inside the building rather than met with silence where a match like this would be hurt more.
It was a reasonable outcome to see New Day lose the titles yet again. The division doesn’t feel like a major part of SmackDown’s programming, but this is another shot at something different.
The match was at the level I anticipated and there was nothing wrong with it.
Alexa Bliss and the Kabuki Warriors gave Nikki Cross a pep talk to get her motivated for her match against Bayley. Sane said they would still be her friend if she loses.
BAYLEY VS NIKKI CROSS FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss are in the respective corners. Banks was wearing Bayley’s title throughout the match.
Cross surprised Bayley early and got a near fall followed by a tornado DDT on the floor. Cross hit a series of high crosses ending with one off the apron to the floor.
Bayley took over and placed Cross into the ring skirt and she disappeared under the ring and came out the opposite end to scare Banks. Bayley got out of a crossface and hit the Bayley-to-Belly, which Cross kicked out from.
Cross attacked Bayley’s ribs and hit an inverted DDT. Bayley knocked her off balance in the corner and landed a running knee strike. Bayley missed Cross and ran head-first into the middle turnbuckle. Cross followed with a spinning hangman’s neck breaker to off the apron to the floor.
Banks passed her the “Boss” ring she has on her fingers, Bayley used it behind the ref’s back and pinned Cross.
WINNER: Bayley at 12:21 to retain the SmackDown women’s title
I would say it was an average match with a non-creative ending to get out of the match. The focus will be on how this continues for Cross and if they go somewhere with her character after this devastating loss.
As Bayley and Banks were leaving, Banks looked at the women’s title, but it was super subtle.
Bray Wyatt was dressed as a classic vampire for a special Firefly Funhouse. He says the “worst is yet to come” and throws to the most “horrifying, revolting, disgusting footage” and they aired the SmackDown Karaoke Showdown, which Bray said was the wrong clip, and that was hilarious.
Tom Phillips announced the United States title match isn’t taking place. The reason given was that Apollo Crews didn’t pass his pre-match physical due to the attack by Bobby Lashley.
MVP and Bobby Lashley came out to the ring. They laughed about Lashley hurting Crews so badly. MVP announced he was the new champion and placed the new title around his waist.
A promo for SummerSlam ran confirming the date of Sunday, August 23rd.
SETH ROLLINS VS REY MYSTERIO IN AN “EYE FOR AN EYE” MATCH
Mike Rome’s explanation of the only way to win this match was hysterical and he did it with a straight face.
Rollins brought pliers to the ring. Mysterio went after Rollins immediately, missed a 619, and was hit with a sling blade.
Mysterio went into a toolbox underneath the ring that had rebar inside of it. Rollins caught Mysterio with a Falcon Arrow onto the edge of the apron.
Rollins tried to stab him with a pen in the eye. Mysterio used a drop toe hold to send him into the edge of the desk.
Rollins attacked with kendo stick shots, set up the stick in the corner, and tried to drive Mysterio’s eye into it. Mysterio blocked and made a comeback.
Rey did the sliding Canadian Destroyer sending Rollins into the barricade, which was like Trey Miguel’s spot at Slammiversary.
Mysterio hit the 619 and Rollins was holding his right eye after Mysterio attacked it. Mysterio hit a stomp on the floor. Mysterio shoved Rollins into the edge of the steps with the eye and Rollins stopped him with a low blow and then, superkicked Mysterio.
Rollins landed the stomp and drove Mysterio’s right eye into the steps. Rollins looked in horror and Mysterio screamed. Then, Rollins vomited.
WINNER: Seth Rollins in 17:48
This sucked.
Byron Saxton hopes this doesn’t affect Mysterio’s life.
Bayley did a promo mocking Rey Mysterio and he isn’t seeing double but instead her two titles. Bayley brought in Banks and will be winning her second title tonight.
Byron Saxton hopes this doesn’t affect Mysterio’s life.
Bayley did a promo mocking Rey Mysterio and he isn’t seeing double but instead her two titles. Bayley brought in Banks and will be winning her second title tonight.
ASUKA VS SASHA BANKS FOR THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
Bayley and Kairi Sane were ringside for the match.
Banks took over with a Fujiwara set-up and pulled back on Asuka’s fingers. Banks landed the double knees in the corner and continued to target the ribs. Asuka landed a spinning back fist to stop Banks’ momentum.
Banks took Asuka off the apron and powerbombed her into the plexiglass. Banks applied the Bank Statement and Asuka fought to the rope. Asuka lifted Banks from the edge into a bridging German for a two-count. They got into a series of near falls and are having a hell of a match.
Asuka sent Banks off the top turnbuckle with a suplex that Banks landed on her feet from. Banks then slipped coming off the turnbuckle and held her knee and yelled at the referee to get out of her face.
Sane and Bayley fought on the floor ending with the Bayley-to-belly.
Asuka and Banks went back-and-forth with counters ending with the Asuka Lock applied and Bayley tossed one of the titles in to distract the referee, and he missed Banks tapping.
Asuka hit Bayley with a head kick.
Banks had the belt and the referee pulled it away from her. Asuka missed with the green mist and sprayed the referee in the eyes.
Bayley nailed Asuka with a belt shot and Bayley put the referee’s shirt on. Banks covered Asuka and Bayley counted three.
WINNER: Sasha Banks at 20:13
They were having a great match but was severely overbooked at the end. Bayley forced the timekeeper to ring the bell and they played Banks’ music but felt like a non-finish to build to a stipulation match. The ending dragged this one down for me.
Charly had an update that Rey Mysterio may have a condition called globe luxation and could retain the vision in his eye. For those curious:
Globe luxation occurs when the globe is displaced anteriorly beyond the orbital rim with retraction of the eyelids behind the globe and tethering of the optic nerve.
DREW McINTYRE VS DOLPH ZIGGLER FOR THE WWE TITLE
The match is an Extreme Rules Match, but only for Ziggler. McIntyre can lose the title if he’s disqualified or counted out.
A table was set up on the floor, McIntyre got Ziggler up for a vertical suplex but didn’t put him through the table.
Ziggler kicked McIntyre low and attacked with chair shots. After fighting on the floor and using the desk, they made their way back in with McIntyre breaking the count.
McIntyre went for the Claymore; it was stopped with a chair to the knee and Zig Zag for a two-count.
McIntyre was put through a table when Ziggler came off the top with an elbow drop to the floor. McIntyre got in at the count of nine. Ziggler hit another Zig Zag and an uranage onto a chair for a near fall. Ziggler yelled, “why won’t you die?”
Ziggler set up for a superkick but McIntyre popped up and hit the Claymore to win.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre at 15:24 to retain the WWE title
This was actually a very good match and unlike the previous one, had a finish that allowed people to actually heap praise on a match.
There was no believability that Ziggler could win but most worked very hard and it turned into a very good match. They didn’t overstay their welcome with the time of the match being reasonable.
BRAUN STROWMAN VS BRAY WYATT IN A “WYATT SWAMP FIGHT”
Braun Strowman pulls up on a dark road where Bray Wyatt is in the rocking chair. Braun isn’t armed so he’s going to try and destroy Wyatt the old-fashioned way – inside a swamp. Oops, then Bray disappeared into thin hair.
Some dudes in masks attacked Braun, then he was hit with a shovel. IT WAS BRAUN ATTACKING BRAUN!!
Braun wakes up and he’s chained. The man has turned trucks over, but these chains are a step too far for his strength.
Bray announces, “I’m already dead” and he’s proud of Strowman. He isn’t Stroman’s enemy and the human race is “bacteria”, and an “infection”. Strowman is just like Wyatt. He called Strowman a weapon and he’s the hand that wields it. Strowman refuses to go back and do Wyatt’s bidding.
They brought in a serpent and it bit Strowman. All of a sudden, he was outside unchained and began attacking random people on the grounds and set a man on fire.
Alexa Bliss appeared with flashbacks to the Mixed Match Challenge and telling Braun he always wanted to be with her and “come home”, but it’s a ploy by Wyatt to attack him.
Strowman choke slammed Wyatt into a self-operated boat that drove off with the unconscious Wyatt. He returns and the two fight in the water and it gets eery as Strowman emerges from underwater. He is attacked further but kicks Wyatt into the water.
Strowman announced it was over with the credits appearing on the screen and then, Wyatt emerges from the water with the mandible claw and it continues.
The Fiend comes up from under the water instead of Bray Wyatt and that’s how it ends.
