Jack Swagger tries to add some ounce of legitimacy to his title reign.
Triple H’s music hits to kick off the show. He doesn’t come out. We see a backstage view of Sheamus attacking Triple H. Sheamus lays him out with a lead pipe before backing off.
The Miz and Big Show make their way to the ring. Miz says that they are the greatest tag team in history and Bret Hart needs to admit it. He talks about the lack of competition in the WWE. Teddy Long interrupts and makes a gauntlet match, leading to…
Opening Match: Gauntlet: The Miz and Big Show vs. John Morrison and R-Truth, MVP and Mark Henry, Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith
If any team beats ShoMiz, they will receive a title shot tomorrow night on RAW. Morrison and Truth are the first challengers. They catch Miz with a double team hip toss and hit a leg drop-standing shooting star press combination. Show tags in and beats down Truth. He comes back with a spin kick on Miz. Show tries a chokeslam on Morrison but gets caught in a triangle choke. Morrison refuses to break the hold while Show is in the ropes and draws a disqualification. MVP and Henry enter next. MVP connects with the ballin’ elbow on Miz and sends Show to the floor. He hits the Playmaker on Miz. Show just punches MVP out cold and Miz covers to move onto the final team. The Hart Dynasty come out accompanied by Bret Hart. They hit the Heart Attack on Miz for the win at 6:20. This match seemed extremely rushed and now Morrison/Truth have lost to ShoMiz on two straight pay per views in three minutes. I also don’t understand why WWE would open up a show called “Extreme Rules” with a disqualification. This was effective at giving the Hart Dynasty their title shot but that’s about it. *½
Todd Grisham tries to give us an update on Triple H. Sheamus interrupts and says that he’s going out to the ring later. He can either beat Triple H or win by forfeit.
Match #2: Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk
If Punk loses, he must shave his head. Mysterio connects with a dropkick and headscissors Punk into the apron. Punk answers with a powerslam and slides Mysterio to the floor. In the ring, Punk hits a slingshot senton and takes over. Mysterio armdrags out of a gory special and stages his comeback. Serena interjects herself and the referee sends her and Luke Gallows to the back. Mysterio connects with a baseball slide and follows with a springboard moonsault. He adds a springboard leg drop and a seated senton. Punk catches him with a dropkick off a springboard attempt and connects with a springboard lariat. Mysterio hurricanranas out of a Go 2 Sleep attempt but gets caught with a kick. Mysterio finds an opening to hit the 619. Someone slides a chair into the ring. The same person comes from under the ring and flatlines Mysterio off the apron. Punk brings Mysterio back into the ring and hits the Go 2 Sleep for the victory at 15:57. I’m fine with the finish as this feud definitely has some steam left in it. This was an improvement over their match at WrestleMania simply because it received more time. These two have solid chemistry and that should come as no surprise. It’s obvious that the finish took away from the match. However, it allows the feud to continue and hopefully we will witness a classic between these two somewhere down the line. ***
Match #3: Strap Match: Shad vs. JTG
JTG connects with some punches but gets tripped up. Shad touches three corners but JTG utilizes the strap to stop him. Shad knocks JTG off the apron. JTG comes back with a leg lariat off the middle rope. Shad hits a facebuster and pulls JTG into the ringpost. Some strap shots follow. Shad carries JTG around with him as he touches the turnbuckles. JTG tags the turnbuckles as well while being choked. JTG takes down Shad and touches the fourth turnbuckle for the win at 4:42. This feud definitely didn’t need a strap match at this point. The crowd was pretty tuned out and almost let out a collective sigh towards the finish. Average match with little heat and a predictable ending. *
Todd Grisham is back with an update on Triple H. He has nerve issues down his arm and numbness in his hand. It is doubtful that he will be able to compete later.
Match #4: World Heavyweight Title: Extreme Rules: Jack Swagger © vs. Randy Orton
Swagger showcases his mat skills to start. Orton hits an inverted backbreaker. Swagger tries to use a chair but Orton kicks it away. Swagger throws Orton into the barricade and hits a northern lights suplex on the floor. In the ring, Swagger finds success with a belly-to-belly suplex and takes control. Orton blocks a vader bomb with a well-placed title belt shot. He hits a powerslam but gets dumped to the outside. Orton blocks a garbage can shot and MURDERS Swagger with the garbage can. He slams Swagger into the announce table and throws him into the ring steps. Orton just stomps Swagger’s head into the ring steps. Back in, Orton hits a rope-assisted DDT. He goes for the RKO but decides to make it more lethal by setting up a chair. Swagger counters the RKO and sends Orton onto the chair. Swagger hits a gutwrench powerbomb to retain his title at 13:45. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and match quality. Swagger needed a legitimate win and he pinned Orton cleanly here. The match told a good story of Swagger having the advantage when it came to the actual wrestling while Orton thrived when weapons were involved. The finish played into that as Swagger was able to make the weapons backfire on Orton. I was apprehensive coming into this match but came away impressed. ***
Orton lays out Swagger with an RKO after the match. Sheamus makes his way to the ring, taking time to stare at Orton on the entrance ramp. He demands that the referee declare him the winner of his match against Triple H. Todd Grisham tries to give us an update as Triple H walks out of his locker room. He comes to the ring and we have a match…
Match #5: Street Fight: Triple H vs. Sheamus
Triple H clotheslines Sheamus to the floor and hits a spinebuster back in the ring. He can’t perform the Pedigree due to the attack at the start of the show. Sheamus rams him into the barricade and takes control. Triple H creates space with a back suplex but falls victim to a neckbreaker on the outside. Triple H avoids a charge and plants Sheamus with a DDT. Sheamus answers with a backbreaker and a powerslam. He grabs his lead pipe but Triple H stops him from using it. Sheamus is able to hit him with it for a nearfall. Triple H back drops him to the floor, where Sheamus grabs a kendo stick. Sheamus charges at Triple H but gets sent into the ring steps. Triple H attacks him with the kendo stick multiple times. Sheamus back drops Triple H onto the entrance ramp and connects with a bicycle kick. Back in the ring, Sheamus adds three more bicycle kicks for the victory at 15:48. I find myself happy with the outcome once again. Sheamus needed to go over here, especially after he attacked Triple H with a lead pipe a little over an hour before the match. The action was solid but nothing unique or special. However, this contest is significant for the fact that Sheamus beat Triple H and looked strong in the process. **½
Referees and staff help Triple H to the back. Sheamus bicycle kicks him one more time and he is taken out on a stretcher.
Edge is shown in his locker room. Josh Matthews enters to interview him. Edge says that he won’t let Chris Jericho escape the cage. He also declares that he won’t try to escape either.
Match #6: WWE Women’s Title: Extreme Makeover Match: Michelle McCool © vs. Beth Phoenix
Beth connects with a flying clothesline. Layla tries to attack her with a broom to no avail. Michelle sprays hairspray into Beth’s eyes and throws an ironing board at her. She tries to use an actual iron but the extension cord is too short. Michelle dropkicks the ironing board into Beth, who returns the favor. Michelle accidentally sprays Layla and Beth sends her into the makeup table. Beth hits Michelle with a bucket and but gets pushed onto two ironing boards. Michelle can’t pull off the Faithbreaker. Instead, Beth hits the Glam Slam to become the new WWE Women’s Champion at 6:35. An Extreme Makeover Match will do nothing to add legitimacy to women’s wrestling in WWE. However, putting the title on Beth was a smart move as she is the most capable women’s wrestler in the company. The match was nothing more than a plodding brawl that was actually laughable at times. ½*
Josh Matthews is backstage with Chris Jericho. He has attained legendary status and losing to Heath Slater doesn’t change that. He will end Edge’s career tonight.
Match #7: Cage Match: Chris Jericho vs. Edge
Jericho is hesitant to enter the cage. Edge connects with baseball slide through the open cage door. The action goes into the ring and the cage door is shut. Jericho immediately tries to escape to no avail. Edge military presses him off the top rope and sends him into the cage. Jericho avoids a spear and Edge collides with the cage wall. Edge returns the favor by back dropping him into the cage. Jericho falls victim to a flapjack and a facebuster. He answers with a bulldog and tries to escape. Edge stops him but finds himself in the Walls of Jericho. He rolls out of it and sends Jericho into the cage. Edge connects with a boot and goes into spear position. Jericho avoids it and tries to leave through the door. Edge stops him but a chair is introduced into the ring. Jericho closes the cage door into Edge’s face and decides not to escape through the door. He misses a chair shot and Edge hits a spear for a two count. Jericho comes back with a Codebreaker out of nowhere. NOW he tries to escape the cage by climbing out and not using the door. Definitely a lapse in psychology there. Jericho has to plainly wait for Edge to stop him. They battle on top of the cage and fall down to the top rope. Jericho hits a nice springboard Codebreaker. Edge finds some energy to throw Jericho into the cage repeatedly. Edge slams the cage door into Jericho’s left ankle. Edge continues to attack the ankle and hits a spear for the win at 20:32. This has to be considered a colossal disappointment. These two had all of the tools to put on a classic but delivered way under expectations. There were moments in the match where it was painfully obvious that Jericho could have escaped the cage. I don’t understand his reasoning for not leaving through the door when he was standing on the steel steps. Literally two minutes later, he was all for escaping the cage. The match was even plodding at times and the finish fell flat. There was some solid action sprinkled throughout this contest but they had some serious storytelling problems and the match dragged at points. **¾
Match #8: WWE Title: Last Man Standing: John Cena © vs. Batista
Cena ducks a clothesline and connects with a flying shoulder block. Batista tries to use a chair to no avail and falls victim to a bulldog. Cena hits a fisherman suplex but charges into an elbow. Batista connects with a clothesline and adds a boot. He sends Cena into the ringpost and starts targeting Cena’s left knee. Batista is sent into the ring steps but quickly regains control with a figure four. Cena turns the hold over. They both connect with clotheslines. Cena hits a side suplex and follows with the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Batista creates an opening by catching Cena with a wrench shot and slides a chair into the ring. Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment onto the chair and Batista beats the count at nine. Batista comes back with two spears but Cena won’t stay down. Batista sets up a table in the corner. Cena tries to lock in the STF but Batista pushes him away and through the table. The action goes to the floor where Batista just whips Cena through the barricade. After Cena makes the ten count, Batista becomes a little angry. He moves the ring steps near the announce tables. They battle on the ring steps and Cena sends Batista through the announce table with an Attitude Adjustment. Batista barely beats the count at nine. Cena sets up a table in the ring. Batista spinebusters Cena through the table. Cena beats the count at nine. Batista hits the Batista Bomb but Cena beats the count once again. Batista slides the ring steps into the ring. Cena catches him with the STF. Batista is tapping but it’s irrelevant. Cena breaks the hold with hope that Batista passed out. Batista makes it to his feet at nine. Cena crotches him on the ringpost and duct tapes his legs around the ringpost. Batista can’t move and Cena retains his title at 24:33. This was a very good match and a slight upgrade from their encounter at WrestleMania. They were able to generate some suspenseful nine counts and generally worked well with their stipulation. My only problem is the finish. They wrestled the first twenty-three minutes of the match as if they were going to end their feud. As such, the finish doesn’t make much sense, especially for Cena to be the one using duct tape. Nevertheless, both men were on point and hopefully their eventual blowoff is even better. ***¾
Overall: Extreme Rules 2010 is a decent yet unspectacular show. I will mainly remember the show for Swagger and Sheamus finally obtaining much-needed victories. Speaking of Swagger, he surprised me in his match against Orton and they delivered a solid contest. Punk and Rey also deliver, but I have a feeling that they have better in them. The only other match worth noting is the main event. It’s a quality match but it doesn’t warrant ordering the replay to see it. The Edge/Jericho match stands out as a low point. If they would have produced a classic, my opinion of this pay per view could have changed significantly. As it is, this show would be a fine purchase on DVD but it’s definitely not required viewing.
