WWE Extreme Rules 2017 Match Card and Predictions

Wrestlemania seems like a distant memory now, and with the disappointment that was Backlash, it’s time for the WWE’s red team to put on their pay-per view and show what its stacked roster can do.

Extreme Rules has always been one of those events on the WWE calendar that allows creative to really throw in some weird matches. This year is no different to any other. Below is the match card for this Sunday’s event, along with my predictions.

 

Mixed Tag Match

Rich SWANN and Sasha Banks

Vs Noam DAR and Alicia Fox

Following the relative success of the Cena and Miz mixed tag match at Mania, it was inevitable this would surface again. But with other promotions now getting in on the action, it is no wonder WWE have followed suit.

My money here is on Rich Swann and Sasha Banks. With both of them out of their respective title pictures at the moment, you would think WWE would want to ensure they keep their momentum going and remind fans they’re still knocking around. Sasha Banks had some amazing matches pre-Mania and it would be interesting to see if she can keep that up.

Winner: Rich Swann and Sasha Banks

 

WWE Cruiserweight Title Submission Match
Neville (C) Vs Austin Aries

Neville has been one of the most impressive heels in recent memory, and his title reign has really made the cruiserweight division what it is today. Austin Aries goes into this match with a huge amount of potential. His loss to Neville at Mania really did him the world of good and he goes into this match with the best possible chance of grabbing the belt.

However, my money is still on Neville to retain. The cruiserweight division is still lacking in many areas and Neville needs to retain the belt in order to really ramp up the rivalry he has with Aries. Taking the belt into SummerSlam is possibly the best choice WWE has right now until the division can really find its feet.

Winner: Neville

 

Raw Tag Team Championship Match – Steel Cage

The Hardy Boys (C) Vs SHEAMUS and Cesaro

When The Hardys returned at Wrestlemania they received the biggest pop of the night. Hell, even I was cheering. Putting their belts on the line in a steel cage match against Sheamus and Cesaro seems to be a recipe for a possible match of the night.

Sheamus and Cesaro are the most unlikely pairing in the company, but they have made it work and their recent heel turn is just what they needed to keep their partnership going. The Hardys are still powering forward after the success of the Broken gimmick, and they landed on the WWE roster with an insane amount of momentum and support.

I’m going to go with the Hardy Boyz here because with heel turn still fresh and with the steel cage match being one of the Hardy’s favourite stipulations, it all points to them. With the support the brothers have, it would be ridiculous if the WWE booked this any other way. Sheamus and Cesaro do need to hold the belts again at some point, but it’s too early at this stage.

Winner: The Hardy Boyz

 

RAW Women’s Championship
Kendo Stick on a Pole Match
Alexa Bliss (C) Vs Bayley

I don’t have the slightest idea what they are trying to go for with this match, but my gut instinct tells me whoever gets the stick wins the belt. I have been wrong before (the shark cage match was awesome) but I really don’t think this will work.

The women’s division on Raw has struggled since Charlotte departed, and they are struggling to find someone who carries the belt as well as she did (saying that though, it is still better than the Smackdown’s women’s division).

Alexa Bliss goes into this match with a huge amount of potential, whilst Bayley is still struggling to get herself over as far as she should be. I think both women have insane ring ability and whoever wins this match will make a good champ. But I still think it’s too early for Bayley to grab the gold, and you probably won’t see a title change until SummerSlam.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

 

Intercontinental Title Match
Dean Ambrose (C) Vs The Miz

(Special Stipulation: If Ambrose is disqualified he loses the belt)

Since leaving The Shield, Dean Ambrose has had a relative amount of success as a singles guy. But his character has started to fall out of favour since the Ellsworth thing, which was dragged on for far too long. The Miz, however, is still one of the best heels in the company and with the rest of the talent on the Raw roster, he could have some seriously awesome feuds.

Whilst Ambrose does carry himself like a champ, the Miz restored this belt to its former glory, and really did help build the secondary belt’s credibility. He put on some awesome matches and had some fantastic feuds over this belt, making it feel like it was the top belt on Smackdown for a long time. I’m sorry to say it, but Ambrose has started to look bland to me as it is always just more of the same thing.

Expect the special stipulation to come into effect and Ambrose to drop the belt, possibly leading to a feud with Seth Rollins in the future.

Winner: The Miz to win via special stipulation.

 

WWE Universal Championship #1 Contender’s Match
Roman Reigns Vs Seth Rollins Vs Bray Wyatt Vs Finn Balor Vs Samoa Joe

On paper, this main event should blow the roof off the stadium and send it into orbit. The amount of talent in this match is phenomenal, and I could go on all day about who should take this. But we need to be realistic – who will take the fight to Lesnar?

Bray Wyatt is a doubt as he was pulverised by The Beast and as he has just made the move over to RAW. They will want him to feud with someone else for the time being. Balor is also a doubt due to the fact he is seriously injury prone, and the WWE may not want to hurt the golden boy of NXT.

Seth Rollins is a good candidate for the win, as WWE and fans know he makes a good champ. Even since his face turn, he has retained a lot of the fans he had from the days before he was injured. He may also be the most consistent wrestler on the WWE roster, always putting on fantastic matches even though he has been plagued by injuries. It falls to those injuries that could become problematic.

Roman Reigns is still struggling to get over, and although the hate has eased off him a bit, we saw what happened to Reigns when he got into the ring with Lesnar. My concern is that this would seriously harm his chances of ever winning the fans over. I also still believe he should be nowhere near this belt.

Finally, we have the big beefy Samoan. If anybody can really take the fight to Lesnar, it would be this guy. Joe still remains one of the best wrestlers in the world, and his ROH stuff is simply outstanding. He deserves this belt for all his work in NXT, but the fact he’s a former TNA champion will seriously harm his chances. Although AJ Styles managed to clinch the WWE World Heavyweight belt, I get the feeling that was down to Triple H calling the shots.

But no matter who wins, this match should be simply outstanding.

Winner: Roman Reigns