WWE Extreme Rules 2016: 8 Predictions You Need To Know
WWE's night of few rules has many intriguing scenarios.
It's only been three weeks since WWE Payback, but that's our worldwide leader in sports entertainment for ya. Six of the eight matches that took place at Payback are being re-matched at Extreme Rules (with two of those matches wedged into one four-way match), a sure-fire sign that only three weeks have passed since the last pay-per-view. At least when WWE went from Survivor Series 2006 to December to Dismember a week later, they made sure the latter event was a completely different show. Sure, it was historically hideous, but it was still different.
But getting back on point, Extreme Rules actually looks like a promising card. I also said the same thing about Payback, and that sadly ended up being a bit of a disappointment, due in small part to a crowd that was shell-shocked by Enzo Amore's injury. Hopefully, everyone makes it out of Extreme Rules a bit safer. Last thing WWE needs is another injured performer to go along with the other 48 wrestlers on the shelf.
As for the matches themselves, while a few of them look particularly enticing, it does seem to be a paint-by-numbers show in terms of predicting the immediate creative direction. Lord knows I've been wrong before, but what the hell: here's how I think the show will play out.
8. Baron Corbin Gets His Win Back From Dolph Ziggler
It's not often you get a no disqualification match on a pay-per-view pre-show, but given WWE's propensity for treating dark matches like little precious snowflakes ("They're not dark matches! They're KICK-OFF SHOW matches!"), we're probably going to see a Hell in a Cell pre-show match one distant day.
As for the match, it was surprising when Corbin went down in defeat three weeks ago to Ziggler, but hey, that just opens up WWE's favorite trope: fifty-fifty booking! It's Corbin's turn to win in the even-Steven mode of storytelling, so expect Ziggler to flop around with his usual gusto in order to showcase Corbin as a near-unbeatable monster. You know, like what probably should have happened three weeks ago. Ah well, better late than never.