10 Worst Un-Extreme Matches That Took Place At WWE Extreme Rules
Supposedly it's the one night of the year WWE goes "Extreme", but this isn't always the case.
WWE Extreme Rules celebrates its tenth year in 2019, which means we can celebrate a decade of a pay-per-view where roughly 60% of the matches could be counted as "Extreme".
To be fair to WWE, the matches on the first three Extreme Rules shows all had some sort of stipulation attached to them. However, from 2012 onwards...
It's now a running joke amongst wrestling fans that the "One Night Of The Year Where WWE Goes Extreme" is no more extreme than taking a shower or going to visit your grandmother. Not to mention that WWE also runs pay-per-views called "TLC" and "Hell in a Cell". "Money In The Bank" usually gets pretty extreme too.
Whilst we've seen our fair share of Steel Cages, Tables, and Last Man Standing matches at Extreme Rules over the years, for every one of these bouts, we've seen matches that wouldn't be out of place on an episode of Main Event.
As we approach Extreme Rules 2019 and await the announcement of a Pillow on a Pole or a Bubble Wrap Death Match for the show, it's important to remember that the warning signs for a dull Extreme Rules have been around for years.
These ten un-extreme matches are perfect evidence of that. We'd tell you to buckle up before you start reading, but we reckon you'll be fine if you don't.
10. Brodus Clay Vs. Dolph Ziggler - 2012
In chronological order and discounting the pre-show, this is the first match in Extreme Rules history not to have a stipulation.
Brodus Clay re-debuted under his Funkasaurus gimmick in early 2012, transforming him from a terrifying monster heel into a dancing dinosaur from outer space. Not my description, but that of WWE, who actually billed him as being from "Planet Funk".
As part of one of Brodus' first big feuds upon his return, he was targeted by the heel tag team of Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler. This led to Ziggler taking on Clay one-on-one at Extreme Rules in... a singles match.
The match itself was nothing spectacular. It lasted less than five minutes before Clay picked up the win to continue his 21-match undefeated streak. Ziggler was praised by many critics for putting Clay over strong, but that's really all there is to this match.
WWE booked this to be short to protect Clay, but they could have put a stipulation on it as well. When you consider that this feud also included Swagger, Santino Marella, and Hornswoggle, then it makes even more sense for this match to be no DQ. A few run-ins would have gotten more people on the show and protected Clay even further.