9 Things WWE Got Right At Extreme Rules 2017
Start licking your chops, it's almost time for Joe vs. Lesnar...
WWE should probably have picked a different name for this pay-per-view, huh? 'Extreme Rules' in WWE land supposedly means 'matches that have rules different to normal matches', rather than the hardcore-laced event people expect from a show that was once loosely tied to ECW.
Still, there was a lot to enjoy on Sunday night despite the confusing title. In an age where it's so easy to rag on WWE for what they do wrong, it's important to highlight exactly what they're doing right when the show actually gets rolling. Credit where credit is due, Extreme Rules featured some key decisions WWE got 100% correct.
Didn't like one match? Well, there was something waiting for you just around the corner in the next one. Besides, nobody can be unhappy with that ending, because it sets up a showdown we've all been eagerly anticipating for years.
Get those 'Joe Is Gonna' Kill You' chants at the ready...
9. Opening With The Intercontinental Title Match
Of all the matches at Extreme Rules, the one between Dean Ambrose and The Miz over the Intercontinental Title was the least fitting. On any other show, this match would've been an easier sell, but booking disqualification rules on a pay-per-view revolving around mayhem? Come on, WWE.
It's a good thing Ambrose and Miz were on top form then. Not only did they milk the fact that Dean's belt could change hands should he get DQ'd, the pair also worked a fine match generally. In the end, WWE's decision to put this bout out first was justified by characters who complement one another perfectly regardless of rules.
If nothing else, beginning with the tamest match (aside from Sasha Banks and Rich Swann vs. Alicia Fox and Noam Dar, that is) on the card kept it far away from others which favoured chair shots or Steel Cages. We have to hand it to you, WWE, this was a clever idea. Ambrose vs. Miz as the curtain jerker was the right call.