7 Match Star Ratings For WWE Extreme Rules 2021

2. Becky Lynch Vs. Bianca Belair - SmackDown Women's Championship Match

Demon Roman Reigns
WWE.com

The rubber match is never so good that it justifies this sh*t.

"This sh*t" is Vince McMahon's 1970s WWWF MSG booking: DQ or something like it, DQ or something like it, babyface win.

It's the only method of storytelling he knows, and it's passé, deadening, deflating, ineffective. It renders everything meaningless because the booking is more irritating than the heel character. Sasha Banks interfered and put a WWE end to a very strong and dramatic match between Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair.

And it was very strong; a well-worked tale of power versus veteran savvy, it generated a big-time atmosphere throughout and expressed the narrative through line with much creativity. In one particularly brilliant beat of the story, Lynch rolled through a Glam Slam on the outside and sent Belair face-first into the ring steps. This was trending towards something really quite special. Belair got the story over with a brilliant performance with near-immaculate physical timing, her best individual outing yet, and Lynch worked excellently as a heel. She extracted twisting, absorbing drama with her submission traps and counters. She projected the key beat - she was doomed if it weren't for Sasha - very well. Her thumbs-up gesture chased a meme and deserves it. That was really well done.

And then you didn't get a finish because you never do.

Star Rating: ★★★½

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!