The ascent of Daniel Bryan as WWE World Heavyweight Champion has marked the return of 'Masked' Kane, with the two former tag team partners set to collide at Extreme Rules in an 'Extreme Rules' match. While it is obvious that the match will not be too extreme, it will in all likelihood feature some extreme (ish) moments. Kane's three Tombstone Piledrivers executed on Bryan throughout the ringside area on a recent edition of Monday Night RAW is perhaps an accurate taster of what will likely happen at Extreme Rules this Sunday. However as much as the WWE is promoting the re-masked Kane as the dangerous 'demon' that he once was, there is no doubt in any regular WWE fan's mind that he will fail to walk out of Extreme Rules the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After the incredibly long build up of Bryan's journey to WrestleMania 30 culminating in Bryan overcoming all the odds to win the most prestigious championship in all of the WWE, it makes little sense to have him then drop the belt in only his second title defence. Of course, this does not mean that Bryan will walk out of Extreme Rules unharmed. Much emphasis has been placed on his injuries sustained at the hands of Kane, so it is not short sighted to suggest that these 'injuries' might play a part in the match or are exacerbated as a result of it. Another factor in this match is that of Stephanie McMahon. McMahon unleashed 'Masked Kane' and has seemingly been the mastermind behind two assaults by Kane on Bryan. Perhaps at Extreme Rules McMahon, in her desperate bid to see Bryan lose the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, will try to pressure the referee to stop the match or maybe she herself will halt proceedings and vacate the championship as Bryan she would argue, "Could not defend himself!" Overall it is a safe bet that Bryan will retain his championship, but how he retains it is perhaps the most pressing question of the night.
