10 Live Observations From WWE Extreme Rules 2016
This... Is... EXTREME(ly questionable)!
Heading into WWE Extreme Rules, my joking prediction for the event was that it would be like absolutely every other WWE Pay-Per-View - there would be some incredible in-ring action that ultimately ended up completely overshadowed by some unbelievably bad booking. Too bad I can't pick lotto numbers.
To be fair, the booking didn't really overshadow the wrestling - that would be impossible for a show that contained, arguably, the two best WWE matches of the year thus far. Even though things got off to a slow start, either one of the Intercontinental or WWE World Heavyweight Title matches would have made Extreme Rules worth the price of admission. Together, they meant that even the most jaded fan had to admit that the in-ring talent in today's WWE is very, very considerable.
And yet, there was still enough of WWE creative's signature brand of crap that it was impossible for a viewer to walk away without a bit of a sour taste in his or her mouth. Like it or not, the so-called "new era" is just lip service - the company is relying on the same old crutches, and the decision-makers' priorities haven't changed one bit.
Here are 10 live observations from attending WWE Extreme Rules in Newark, NJ:
10. That Whole Dudleyz Versus Enzo And Cass Program Doesn't Need To Happen Now
When Enzo and Big Cass debuted on Raw the evening after WrestleMania, they singled out The Dudley Boyz for some decidedly insulting barbs. From that point on, the two teams were locked in a feud that, given the nature of the competitors, quickly became very personal.
The Dudleyz were scheduled to cost Enzo and Cass a match against The Vaudevillains at Payback, leading to a tag bout at Extreme Rules, but Enzo suffered a concussion at the last PPV and that bout was stopped. Since then, the mouthpiece of the group has been out hurt, with no clear word as to when he'll be back in action. Cass, meanwhile, has continued to get a push, and has typically found himself across the ring from The Dudleyz.
At the Extreme Rules pre-show, The Dudleyz confronted the crowd, first taking credit for putting ECW out of business, then running down the stars of the new era. They were interrupted by Cass, who made some fat jokes, then hit the ring. The Dudleyz overpowered Cass to begin with, but he quickly turned the tables and took out both of the multi-time tag team champions by himself.
That's the second time in past couple of weeks that Cass has beaten up The Dudleyz single-handedly, so there's little point to revisiting the feud when Enzo gets back.