WWE Extreme Rules 2019: Grading each match from the show
Just as WrestleMania reset the WWE with almost every major title changing hands, Extreme Rules almost did the same thing on a smaller scale. Seth Rollins defeated Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at 'Mania, but this past Sunday, it was Rollins who was defeated by "the Beast".
Both the United States Championship and the Intercontinental Championships had been among the titles that changed hands the most. The US Title continued that trend as Rey Mysterio, Samoa Joe, Ricochet and AJ Styles have all held the title since April. And although his reign lasted longer, Finn Balor dropped the Intercontinental Title to Shinsuke Nakamura on the pre-show.
It was easy to telegraph which matches were likely to deliver. The SmackDown Tag Team Title Triple Threat match was sure to deliver because of the chemistry that all three of the teams have with each other. Heavy Machinery upped their game against the Planet's Champions at Stomping Grounds, giving the WWE Universe a glimpse that they are more than a comedic duo.
But just as some matches delivered as expected, there were also some that left a lot to be desired. Whether it was due to the finish or the pacing, some matches just didn't bring the level of excitement as others. All the matches deserve the grades they are now getting, so let's grade the bouts from Extreme Rules 2019.
Finn Balor vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: B-
When Nakamura returned to SmackDown a few weeks ago to admire Finn Balor's Intercontinental Championship backstage, many of us thought that it was just Balor's last feud before SummerSlam.
But after a win last week on SmackDown, Nakamura got a shot at the title. And after a match that he controlled for the most part, Nakamura defeated Balor to become the new IC Champ. Balor and Nakamura are both underutilized stars that the audience will always cheer for. The fact that they've haven't been on TV more is disappointing.
They had a good, not great match where Nakamura focused much of his attack on Balor's mid-section. It was slightly better than their match last week but it certainly could have been better given their ability. Their showdown in NXT was the best match they've had together in WWE.