13 WWE Extreme Rules 2019 Impulse Reactions

11. The Undertaker & Roman Reigns Vs. Shane McMahon & Drew McIntyre

Baron Corbin Becky Lynch
WWE

Weeks ahead of the pay-per-view, your writer was amongst the (foolish) many that booked this match as a rather simplistic spectacle - tease out Undertaker's entrance with the heels sh*thousing Roman Reigns at every point until 'The Deadman' fires up and fires in to give the heels their just desserts.

Minutes ahead of the pay-per-view, the reality of the structure was altogether clearer.

By announcing that the contest was to open Extreme Rules, WWE effectively promised an endless stream of boypopping moments, including 'Taker getting the bulk of the opening salvo (and chasing Shane McMahon with a f*cking steel chair!) before the set the aforementioned hot tag up at the second attempt.

Undertaker sprinted through all the good stuff as if his reputation depended on it...because it absolutely f*cking did. A vital performance at a vital time, this was his most enjoyable match in five years, and went some way to erasing not just the chronic Saudi Arabia catastrophe against Goldberg but all his other knackered displays since losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX.

This was relentlessly fun. Catharsis, rather fittingly, in the extreme.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett