10 Impulse Reactions Following WWE Extreme Rules 2017
4. The Next Little Things
Choking out Finn Balor at the conclusion of the Fatal Five Way Number One contender's match, Samoa Joe rose above the chasing back to get his shot at the perennially absent Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.
But what of the other four in the wake of the battle?
Though not an isolated incident on the night itself, Seth Rollins was subject to deeply unwelcome apathy as a babyface in the match. His breathtaking frog splash onto Bray Wyatt on the Spanish Announce Table aside, the crowd rarely hit the requisite decibel levels for his near-misses, implying he was less the favourite and more a passable alternative to Roman Reigns.
Speaking of the 'Big Dog', he looked well beaten in the final stretch, with only Joe's dramatic Coquina Clutch costing Finn Balor victory. His status as a white hot heel on the post-WrestleMania Raw has greatly diminished to such a degree that it may afford 'Taker the perfect excuse to renege on his half-hearted exit early next year.
Balor himself was largely unharmed by the defeat, but has now had the title shot at the prize he was never defeated for. This has stripped him of his most valuable asset on the main roster - redemption. His return to his remarkable former glory may not be the smoothest.
Finally, Bray Wyatt did much to erase memories of Payback's criminal 'House of Horrors', but failed again to carry himself in a top-line position. A return to empty, match-losing singles feuds looks his likely destination.