4 takeaways from WWE Extreme Rules 2022
The one night of the year WWE goes "extreme" is in the history books, and fans are still reeling from the entertaining slug-fest. Philadelphia was blessed with a fantastic show filled with excellent storytelling and brutal in-ring action.
WWE Extreme Rules 2022 was an eventful evening where a courageous fighter finally got his revenge, an emotionally-charged resilient veteran was forced to quit, and a wrestling darling made his much-anticipated return. Here are five significant takeaways from the premium live event.
#4 WWE Hall of Famer Edge is a master storyteller
WWE is more than just two men ripping each other apart. It's about telling a story the audience can connect to and feel the emotion with which it was delivered. Edge and Finn Balor accomplished both at Extreme Rules in their hellacious "I Quit" match.
Two men who had pure malice in their eyes and zero love for each other, the WWE Hall of Famer and The Prince tore each other apart. They fought all over the arena, blasting each other with countless chair shots and painful submission maneuvers. It was the resilient veteran in Edge who endured the brunt of the damage, but he kept coming back.
In the climax of the encounter, Beth Phoenix interfered to level the playing field for her husband. She freed her Edge, who had been tied to the rope with handcuffs by Rhea Ripley. Just as it seemed as if The Rated- R Superstar would make Balor utter, "I Quit," Ripley clocked his wife in the back of the head with brass knuckles.
Judgment Day took advantage, and The Prince hit the legend with a series of Coup de Graces. Edge would not give in to Balor's wishes, but the stable forced him to quit when they threatened to shatter Phoenix's skull with a Con-Chair-to. However, Ripley blasted WWE's Glamazon with the painful maneuver.
Last night, Edge showed he was a courageous fighter with undeniable grit, an honorable man, and a loving husband who cared for his wife. The Hall of Famer proved he was a master storyteller.
#3 Ronda Rousey is The Baddest Woman on The Planet
#AndNew #SmackDown Women's Champion, @RondaRousey!
#ExtremeRules https://t.co/wfN6MHzZFz
The entire narrative of the Ronda Rousey vs. Liv Morgan saga was that the latter was not on the former's level. Rousey is the superior competitor, and Morgan's SmackDown Women's Championship victory was likely a fluke. Extreme Rules 2022 proved that the former UFC fighter was a better, more formidable athlete as she reclaimed the blue brand's top women's title.
Morgan brought in a baseball bat to equalize Ronda Rousey's technical and brutal in-ring offense, but that didn't do her much good. Every time the fan-favorite mustered up some offense, the challenger stopped her dead in her tracks. From armbars to baseball bat strikes in the abdomen, the former RAW Women's Champion unleashed hell on her opponent.
There were plenty of botches, and the match felt sloppy in places. The ending was also confusing, as Rousey turned an armbar into a choke which even baffled Michael Cole. After her victory, she lashed out at the crowd, receiving a chorus of boos.
The Extreme Rules encounter was not a match of the year candidate, but it established Rousey's supremacy over The Miracle Kid. The new SmackDown Women's Champion is "The Baddest Woman on The Planet."
#2 Dominik Mysterio may be the most hated man in WWE today
Even before he turned heel, the WWE Universe was a little hostile towards Dominik Mysterio, who struggled to maintain and live up to his father's rich lineage. However, the 25-year-old received nuclear heat upon turning on his father and Edge at Clash at the Castle.
Dominik eventually joined Judgment Day and has become Rhea Ripley's loyal sheep, doing her bidding and obeying every command. He has shown zero remorse for his beloved father, who still believes his "Dom" is alive somewhere. At Extreme Rules, all hope may have been lost as the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion viciously assaulted the masked luchador without hesitation.
Philadelphia, notorious for being raucous, was livid with Dominik's actions. Their hatred was palpable as thunderous boos resonated. The Wells Fargo Center became unglued when Edge blasted the younger Mysterio with a low blow and lit up with a chorus of "Yes" chants.
Although he is a heel, such intense heat is often tough to maintain in the long run. It has remained steady thus far, and Dominik has done a great job drawing the WWE Universe's ire, who have lost all respect for him.
#1 Bray Wyatt has become a massive star
WHAT DID WE JUST WITNESS?!
#ExtremeRules https://t.co/YQ6Cxzk2gS
For months, social media has been abuzz with rumors of an earth-shattering Bray Wyatt return. The rumor mill kicked into fifth gear when Triple H assumed creative control and started making changes. Fortunately, the WWE Universe finally got their wish as the sensational character returned to their screens for the first time in nearly 15 months.
WWE struck gold with the White Rabbit tease. Fans speculated that it could be Bad Bunny, Bo Dallas, or even Adam Rose's Bunny. But deep down, they wanted it to be Bray Wyatt.
In the closing moments of Extreme Rules, the lights went out, a hush of silence spread across Philadelphia, "He's got the whole world in his hands" resonated throughout the arena, familiar characters appeared, and the White Rabbit was revealed as the returning Bray Wyatt. The former WWE Champion felt like a massive star, and the crowd was electric.
WWE seldom ends premium live events with such segments, which also shows some faith in Wyatt as a potential top star, a fact fans have always known.