Thursday, March 28, 2024
EditorialeWN's Ring Position on: WWE Extreme Rules 2018

eWN’s Ring Position on: WWE Extreme Rules 2018

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Welcome to another edition of eWN Ring Position, where we gather some of the most active writers here on eWrestlingNews and share the platform to answer some questions surrounding a centralized topic, upcoming event, etc.

This is meant to showcase the potential for both a wide range of perspectives as well as how sometimes, there can be a group consensus no matter what your viewpoint is, so we also invite all of you to join in on the discussion by answering these questions yourself in the comments section below.

For this particular volume, we’ll be focusing on Extreme Rules 2018.

Participants for this round = Anthony Mango, Richard Staple, Kyle Dunning and Ethan Absler.

1) “Do you feel like this card’s gimmicks are enough to justify the Extreme Rules namesake, or does it fall short of living up to previous years?”

MANGO: After the past few years, I don’t have much hope for Extreme Rules to be anything more than what it currently is. To a certain extent, I don’t think it needs to be, either. If every match was a gimmick just for the hell of it, it would run into the same problem of how we don’t need a Hell in a Cell every October. I’m fine with this card not having more, but I also think they could have tweaked some of these stipulations just a tad.

STAPLE: As of Monday night, the only stipulations that we have on deck for Extreme Rules is a 30 minute Iron Man Match, a steel cage match and an Extreme Rules match. The Iron Man match doesn’t really even qualify as an extreme match because unless stated otherwise, a disqualification counts as a fall. Last year’s card had a steel cage match, a fatal five-way extreme rules match, a submission match and a kendo stick match (even though that remains an abomination). In 2015, the card featured a Last Man Standing match, a Chicago Street Fight, a steel cage match, and a Russian chain match. Yes, I’d say this card doesn’t exactly live up to the billing since there are only two matches you could consider “extreme”. Here’s what I say. If you could replace Extreme Rules and call it Backlash or No Mercy, then the PPV didn’t do its job. There’s nothing “extreme” about this card other than the length that it will probably be.

DUNNING: As I’m writing this before seeing Smackdown, I assume the only “hardcore” type matches are the extreme rules match (Nia & Alexa), and the steel cage match (Strowman & Owens)? The issue with Extreme Rules is it began as a tribute to ECW, but over the years WWE scaled back on its hardcore content. If you was an ECW fan and preferred the style, you’d see Extreme Rules as a mere shadow unworthy of its origins.

However, this doesn’t mean WWE can’t take it to the limit. You can have cool spots, you can still be “extreme” in a match with rules; you just need to get creative. The card is interesting, so the lack of hardcore type matches may not harm it if the wrestlers deliver. The PPV has a mixed history, most of them being forgettable, while some have been pretty good. There’s never been a legendary Extreme Rules though .. you’d have to go back to what it used to be called (One Night Stand 2005) for that.

Looking back through its history, the average amount of Extreme Rules matches booked at this PPV is one. In 2015, there were no Extreme Rules matches at all, yet it had a Street Fight, Last Man Standing, Chain, and Steel Cage match. At the end of the day, this years incarnation is just as extreme as WWE’s been willing to be in years. You have to go all the way back to the 2009-2011 PPVs to see the namesake doing justice.

ABSLER: This year’s Extreme Rules card falls just a tad short when it comes to living up to the show’s name. With that said, that doesn’t mean we won’t see some great hardcore spots when the New Day faces sAnity in a tables match, Nia vs Alexa in an Extreme Rules match, and Owens vs Strowman in a steel cage.

2) “When all things are said and done, who will end up having been a bigger challenge for Dr. Shelby: Sasha Banks and Bayley, or Team Hell No?”

MANGO: Team Hell No. They’re the more dynamic team and they had more fun with it already. Banks and Bayley are just whining, and they aren’t the first, so everything feels like it references back to Daniel Bryan and Kane. Plus, I expect to see a crossover segment at Extreme Rules, and I think Team Hell No are going to cause Shelby to have flashbacks and run away or something.

STAPLE: What made Team Hell No highly popular six years ago was how organic and spontaneous it was. You had Daniel Bryan, who became the roster’s most popular act, ironically, out of his embarrassing WrestleMania 28 defeat at the hands of Sheamus. You then pair him up with Kane, a masked demonic figure who was making out with his former on-screen girlfriend, AJ Lee. Admittedly, I didn’t know what to expect when WWE combined a small, technical wrestling vegan with a seven-foot demon, but they struck gold, because it forced both superstars, more so Kane, to work out of their element. Dr. Shelby was merely a conduit that made the dynamic between them even more intriguing.

Sasha Banks and Bayley is completely different in not only their reasoning for getting Shelby’s reasoning but what their plans are. They aren’t going to become a tag team. They are probably going to get one big blow off match. That’s why I was confused at the direction of giving them counseling. I thought Bayley would solidify a heel turn, but instead, WWE insisted on reverting back to the beginning of the story instead of advancing the plot. Sasha’s been turning on Bayley since the Rumble, and when Bayley finally gets her revenge, she needs counseling? The dynamic isn’t nearly the same, and that’s why Shelby will probably have a harder time with the ladies. Besides, Kane and Daniel got degrees out of it!

DUNNING: An odd question. I think Dr. Shelby didn’t get anywhere near as much time with Sasha & Bayley as he did with Team Hell No. It took him a while to get through to Kane & Bryan, so there’s no telling who would’ve been the bigger challenge. Honestly, I just want WWE to stop this nonsense and put Bayley and Sasha in Hell in a Cell. I don’t get what they’re doing .. Coach said on Raw “their jobs could potentially be on the line” if they don’t work things out? What!?? It’s ridiculous. Stop the torture.

ABSLER: Team Hell No will definitely be a bigger challenge for Dr. Shelby. Banks and Bailey are going through a rough patch in their relationship. While they both realize that there is only one top spot in the RAW Women’s Division, this is no comparison to the hardships that Bryan and Kane went through. (In addition to the actual problem, Dr. Shelby is four years more experienced as a therapist now than he was with Team Hell No!)

3) “Does Asuka need to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship to course-correct her career, or will she still be okay even if she loses here?”

MANGO: Yes, she definitely does. You can’t go from being undefeated, to losing at WrestleMania, to continuing to lose to even people like Carmella, and still be at the top of the mountain. She’s already lost a lot of vigor and without this win, she’s going to seem like she’s definitely not a priority anymore.

STAPLE: This isn’t by any means a make-or-break situation for Asuka. I’d hardly believe someone’s career is in jeopardy after a total of two singles losses since she debuted in late 2015. If Carmella gets another victory here, it won’t make Asuka look weak by any stretch, and it’ll only solidify Carmella’s ascension to the mountaintop of the women’s division after being the very last overall pick in the original draft back in 2016. That being said, what WWE needs to correct is how much of a dumbass Asuka has become, and that’s something WWE has had a long-standing issue with faces. It’s making them look completely oblivious and stupid. Think about it. At Money In The Bank, a masked figure is staring there watching Asuka. Asuka has Carmella grounded and all she needs to do is finish her off. Instead, she takes her eyes off the champion, stares as Ellsworth removes the mask, and gets kicked from behind and beaten for it. THAT VERY SAME TUESDAY on Smackdown, Ellsworth, and Carmella are literally in the ring at the same time and Ellsworth distracts Asuka while Carmella superkicks her from behind again because she didn’t learn her lesson.

Then last week, Ellsworth makes Asuka follow him all across the arena just to get her clocks cleaned by a forearm by Carmella, giving her the upper hand yet again. I understand Asuka had to lose at some point but did she have to lose brain cells in the process? If she’s gonna lose, at least make her be competitive and remind people why she stayed undefeated for so long, as the match at WrestleMania perfectly displayed. A lazy distraction finish which makes Asuka no different than any other naive face on the roster isn’t how to go about her character going forward, especially since I’m getting the feeling the inevitable rematch between Asuka and Charlotte may be coming for Summerslam.

DUNNING: She’ll be fine if she loses. Asuka’s streak had some fan resistance to it, which is why she didn’t beat Charlotte for the title at Wrestlemania. Had she got over naturally as a face, despite being as dominant as she was, she’d still be the undefeated champion now. But the fact is .. no matter what you’re doing, sometimes you have to lose a lot before you can win the big one. WWE knew she had to be defeated so fans wouldn’t turn on her for being “shoved down their throats”. It pains me when I see fans hate her, or talk down about her promo ability .. like she should know fluent English living in Japan most her life.

I’m under the impression Asuka will get the title win eventually, but it won’t be a singles match. I think it will be in a triple threat including Carmella and Charlotte. This would counter the James Ellsworth factor, eventually leading to Asuka vs. Charlotte part two. Only this time, it’s Asuka going in as the defending champion.

ABSLER: I think this is a must win for Asuka. Carmella seems like a transitional Champion and Asuka hasn’t felt the same since her loss to Carmella. Asuka’s loss at Wrestlemania hurt her, but it was against Charlotte Flair. Over the next few weeks, Asuka still seemed like the most dangerous competitor on the roster… until she lost to Carmella. Asuka needs this Title to regain the mystique she once possessed.

4) “Trying to keep personal preference out of the equation, which of the two teams do you think are better suited to hold the Raw Tag Team Championship right now for the sake of the brand?”

MANGO: The B-Team is getting a much more vocal reaction from the crowd than The Deleters of Worlds, so my gut reaction is to say they should put the belts on them. However, if WWE manages to figure out a way to use Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt for the next month as a legitimate tag team and not a joke, where they can boost their credibility again, they’re the better team to put over The Authors of Pain. I don’t think that is something WWE can pull off, though, so as much as I dislike playing hot potato, I think The B-Team needs to win and then pretty much immediately lose the titles to AOP so the crowd boos Akam and Rezar for being buzzkills.

STAPLE: Right now, the RAW Tag Team Titles are being fought over by a maniacal otherworldy figure with his disciple and a parody of that team. The booking of this feud has been beyond lazy, simply recycling the B team mocking the Deleters of Worlds’ speech and facial mannerisms and having Matt Hardy lose briskly paced singles matches. I’d be satisfied if the B Team were to win this Sunday, but what’s going to put the RAW Tag Team Titles over the top is competition and giving it a sense of urgency. The titles are hardly a factor in this feud because it is more about putting over the characters than the importance of the titles themselves. Remember the New Day and The Usos’ feud over the Smackdown Tag Titles? There was a sense of urgency, and while they added a personal dimension, the core of the feud was about making the Smackdown tag titles mean something. The RAW Tag Team Title situation is about programming us to go along with the acts than recognize why the tag titles mean something, and until that central problem is addressed, it doesn’t matter who walks out of Extreme Rules victorious, because the cycle will merely repeat itself with the next feud.

DUNNING: The Deleter Of Worlds are the best choice because they delete worlds. The B-Team may have some wins lately, but it’s just to give Matt & Bray someone different to work with. I can’t see the B-Team bringing anything more than what Matt & Bray does. It’s a foregone conclusion in my eyes .. the B-Team will be DELETED!

ABSLER: I believe that Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt will be better as Tag Champs than The B Team, however, aside from that, I think the Revival should win the titles more than either of those two teams.

5) “Who do you WANT to see win between Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley, even if you don’t think it will happen?”

MANGO: I want it to be a no-contest, where Kurt Angle then says that he was thinking about giving the winner a shot against Brock Lesnar, but now, he doesn’t know what to do for SummerSlam. Then, I want Braun Strowman to announce that he’s using his Money in the Bank briefcase for a match against Lesnar, cashing it in in advance, so he can just beat Lesnar straight-up, while Reigns and Lashley will fight against each other again at SummerSlam to determine who gets a shot at Strowman at Hell in a Cell. That’s certainly not happening, though.

STAPLE: Picking who I want to win between Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley for me is like picking if I’d rather go vegan or vegetarian. Neither option would make me happy. And that’s not because I hate them. It’s just because we all know this is something to temporarily occupy both men’s time before one of them moves on for better things, probably Roman. If Roman Reigns wins, he gets another PPV singles victory and he will go back to claiming that this is his yard and that Brock Lesnar’s days as Universal Champion is numbered. If Lashley wins, the shape of RAW will be changed for maybe a week or two before we get back to the reality that no one on the RAW brand is more important than Roman because the entire show revolves around him. Just because I always love seeing Roman lose, I suppose I’d like to see Bobby win, but by no means am I going to be cheering hard for him. WWE has already ruined Lashley’s character, and save for a complete 180 in his demeanor, nothing he does will make me care about him. More things like his brawl with Roman may do the trick.

DUNNING: Why would you not think either outcome is possible? Reigns is like Superman, but he’s certainly beatable. I’m likely one of a few who saw Lashley’s very slow progress in his years at TNA/Impact, and it was only in his latter years did he finally find his character. The fact is, no matter how good Reigns is, him winning would seriously hurt Lashley’s career. How can Lashley challenge Reigns and lose? He’s got to win, it’s the only way he’s going to be taken seriously as a main event talent. There might be some divine intervention somewhere, or Reigns picks up an injury, but I’m 95% sure Lashley is winning. Reigns might get himself disqualified .. as he’s been too hot-headed lately, leading to a bigger match at the next PPV

ABSLER: I want to see Bobby Lashley win here. His return has been somewhat underwhelming and a massive win over the Big Dog would remind fans that Lashley is freakin legit. Unfortunately, I doubt this will happen and my least favorite wrestler will probably win again.

6) “Do you prefer Iron Man matches to have a high or low number of decisions?”

MANGO: Generally speaking, I’d rather it be on the higher end. We’ve had enough 2-1 situations and such, and that defeats the purpose of having the ability to have lots of decisions. I don’t want 75-62 or something, but I’d prefer Ziggler vs. Rollins to be something along the lines of 5-4.

STAPLE: I just like a well-worked Iron Man match, period. One of my favorite Iron Man matches ever was The Rock and Triple H’s bout and Judgement Day in 2000. And I think that match had around 5 or 6 falls. It was chock-full of drama, and it had continuity, story-telling and high-paced adrenaline for the entire match. However, Iron Man matches with no falls towards the end does add for a bit of drama because it’s anyone’s match. I don’t really have a preference in regards to the number of times a man’s shoulders are down for 3 or if they tap out. If there’s a story, if it makes sense, and if it’s told consistently towards the end, I’ll have no problem enjoying it. Seth Rollins is probably the best performer in the ring today, and Dolph Ziggler remains not only one of the more consistent performers on the roster, but he’s a guy that has had great chemistry with Seth Rollins for about 4 years now, and I know that if these two put everything they have into this match with the IC Title on the line, we’ll have one of the more memorable Iron Man matches in the history of the stipulation.

DUNNING: A good Ironman match isn’t determined by the number of falls, but the importance each fall brings. If you have more falls, they’ve got to be spaced accordingly and tell a fluid story. They have to link like a join the dots picture to make something worthwhile of colouring in. On the other side, if you wanted to show both men refusing to give in to the other (and they’re evenly matched,) you’d want fewer falls. I’m of the belief in this kind of competitive match, you’d only need one fall. A 30-minute Ironman is perfect for a one-fall finish right at the end .. and I’m talking the last five seconds of the contest. Have dozens of near-falls throughout, and shock the audience with a last second fall to decide the winner. Sometimes less is more.

ABSLER: I think the number of pinball decisions should depend on how long the Iron Man Match is. No matter what, the number of decisions should start slowly and pick up speed as the competitors lose energy and receive more punishment. In my opinion, a great 30 minute Iron Man would be a score of 3-2 or 4-3. Somewhere in that range.

7) “If you could add one more match to the card, what would it be?”

MANGO: I’m really annoyed that there hasn’t been a single Cruiserweight Championship match or anything involving 205 Live since the co-branded event structure. That seems like such a slight at that whole division, so I’d book Cedric Alexander against Hideo Itami there instead of on television. If not that, I’d probably go with Bobby Roode vs. Elias just to get those on the kickoff for no reason other than seeing them perform, but I don’t think we need that, so I’d go with the cruiserweights.

STAPLE: It’s funny. Extreme Rules has a 10 match card with no matches announced for the pre-show, and with that, the card feels incomplete with the pending feud of Sasha Banks vs. Bayley being left off. I wouldn’t add a match to something that is already going to be at least 3 and a half hours long if I know WWE well. But, if I had a choice, I’d replace the Finn Balor/Corbin match with Sasha and Bayley. Like, what are Finn and Corbin even fighting about? All I remember is Finn mocking Corbin’s way of dressing and that’s it. At least Sasha/Bayley and Kevin/Braun have a reason to fight. Finn and Corbin on the card is just a way of getting them some PPV time and nothing more.

DUNNING: There’s no Cruiserweight title fight yet? Not seeing New Day or The Bar on the card. Why can’t we get some Authors Of Pain? No Bobby Roode? Elias? Revival? Sanity? Why oh why can’t we see Chad Gable, Tyler Breeze, Tye Dillinger or Shelton Benjamin? Many possibilities. What about an 8-man tag? AOP & The Revival vs. New Day & The Bar? Roode vs. Elias? Sanity vs. Three random Smackdown guys? So much choice, but this is what happens with dual-branded PPV. Not everyone’s getting on, and it’s a good thing. Once you earn your spot, you got to perform to keep it. And that’s all from me! This is the first time I contributed to Ring Position, and it’s been interesting answering the questions. Thanks for reading everyone!

ABSLER: Again, I beg the WWE to use the Cruiserweight’s on these main shows, but I think I’m the only one who hasn’t given up on giving them the big PPV spotlight. I think the work that is happening in 205 Live right now is really really good work and I wish the WWE Universe could see it on a big stage like Extreme Rules.

Big thanks to everyone who took part in this edition!

Those are our thoughts, but what do you have to say about these issues? Keep the discussion going by chiming in via the comments section below!

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