A big reveal; strong showings in defeat - 4 Mistakes that shouldn't be made at WWE Extreme Rules 2022
Despite only having six matches on the card, WWE Extreme Rules could prove to be one of the best premium live events of the year. There are also no matches featuring The Bloodline, giving the spotlight to the rest of the roster.
One match features Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle going to war in the Fight Pit match. Every other match on the card has a stipulation: Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey battle in an Extreme Rules match. Bayley will face Bianca Belair for the RAW Women's Championship in a ladder match.
Will this be the sight after #ExtremeRules?
@itsBayleyWWE @ImKingKota @Iyo_SkyWWE #WWERaw https://t.co/Tx2QP8fSAc
Rounding out the card are three other big-feel fights. Drew McIntyre battles Karrion Kross in a Strap Match, while Imperium faces the Brawling Brutes in a Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook fight. Capping off the card will be an 'I Quit' Match between Edge and Finn Balor.
Since every match has a stipulation, it allows WWE several opportunities for title changes. It also allows for messy finishes or interference. Here are four mistakes that WWE should avoid at Extreme Rules.
#4 Riddle can't look weak in the Fight Pit
.@SuperKingofBros steps Inside the Fight Pit against despised adversary @WWERollins, with UFC Hall of Famer @dc_mma serving as the Special Guest Referee.
Don’t miss WWE #ExtremeRules, THIS SATURDAY at 8/7c on @peacock in the U.S. and @WWENetwork everywhere else. https://t.co/RjvTJ4LICd
There have only been two other Fight Pit matches in WWE history, and one had Riddle defeat Timothy Thatcher. Add that fact to Riddle's background as an MMA Fighter, and it's easy to see why he would have chosen this match. It's his wheelhouse and not that of Seth Rollins.
Despite the bout being akin to a home game for The Original Bro, this is WWE, and things don't always go how they are supposed to. Seth Rollins is one of the top stars in WWE and has another shot at Bobby Lashley and the United States Championship on next week's RAW.
It would seem counterproductive to have Rollins lose to Riddle since he already has a big title match booked. Given these factors, if Riddle does lose, he still needs to be booked firmly. He may pass out in the Peruvian Necktie Submission or take several Curb Stomps.
#3 There needs to be a significant reveal in the White Rabbit angle
WWE has sent fans down the rabbit hole with a treasure hunt to find out what the appearance of the White Rabbit means. Many think it portends the return of Bray Wyatt. Other stars like Aleister Black, Elias, and Joe Gacy might have been referenced in various clues.
While it has been fun for the fans to decipher the clues and their meanings, it's been going on for a month. Instead of months of nothing like with Veer Mahaan, something significant needs to happen at Extreme Rules.
That means either a huge star's return or an unambiguous clue points to the reveal next week. Another QR code may be fine for some fans, but it's time for the angle to produce a major performer and/or a faction.
#2 A women's championship needs to change hands at Extreme Rules
The women's title scenes on both RAW and SmackDown need refreshing. On SmackDown, there aren't many other potential opponents for Liv Morgan to face. She's already defeated Lacey Evans, Ronda Rousey, and Shayna Baszler.
Unless Raquel Rodriguez turns heel, the options are dwindling. If Rousey loses in an Extreme Rules match, it essentially undoes her feud with Charlotte Flair earlier this year. RAW also faces the same issue. The two best options to topple Bianca Belair are Bayley and Rhea Ripley.
Ripley missed her match with Belair at Money in the Bank due to an injury. Bayley was out for over a year. If the latter wins at Extreme Rules, she can fend off babyface challengers like Alexa Bliss, Candice LeRae, Asuka, and others. Flair and Becky Lynch are both out of action but shouldn't be the ones to dethrone either champion.
#1 The Strap Match can't have a weak finish
Flanked by @Lady_Scarlett13, @realKILLERkross lays out why @DMcIntyreWWE is the focus of his wrath and mocks his #ExtremeRules Strap Match opponent. #SmackDown https://t.co/7NZ6jkqvkz
Both Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross have been presented as huge threats to the roster. The Scottish Warrior was the last person to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Kross also put The Tribal Chief on notice when he re-emerged in the company.
This will be Kross' first big match since his return. He needs a big win to be taken seriously as a legitimate threat. However, McIntyre also needs a big win at Extreme Rules after being booked to lose to Roman Reigns at Clash at the Castle.
The nature of most of the matches at Extreme Rules is to make sure that the losers still look strong. Each contest can only have one winner, so having a big stipulation makes the loser look better in defeat. Whoever falls in the Strap Match needs to be knocked out to keep some aura of danger.