WWE Extreme Rules 2011 Results: Match by Match Breakdown

It's time for WWE to go extreme again, or at least as extreme as TV-PG wrestling can be.  Live from Tampa, Fla., it was WWE's annual Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

Despite being a PG show, Extreme Rules actually turned out to be a very good show.  It wasn't great, but it had it moments (Michael Cole not being one of them).

Flip though this slideshow, where I break down every match and give each bout a rating, on a scale of 1 to 10. 

As always, read through, and leave a comment below with your thoughts on WWE Extreme Rules.

Last Man Standing Match: Randy Orton Def. CM Punk

The first match of the night is Randy Orton vs. CM Punk in a Last Man Standing Match. 

Before the match starts, CM Punk makes his way down to the ring with the New Nexus, however the Anonymous Raw GM e-mails in to Josh Matthews that the New Nexus is banned from ringside.

It can be hard to pull off a truly "extreme" match in the PG-Era, but this match was done very nicely.  There were definitely extreme spots, and other than the lack of blood, there was nothing PG about this.  Even Booker T's only-kind-of comprehensible announcing was nearly TV-14. 

While it may be wrong to compare a normal match to a stipulation match, this match was a step-up from their WrestleMania match one month ago.

After a killer RKO from the top rope, Orton defeated CM Punk.

Match Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Tables Match: United States Championship: Kofi Kingston def. Sheamus

The match next up was an impromptu Tables Match for the United States Championship.  Since Sheamus attacked Kofi Kingston before their match on Smackdown, we're seeing it now.

While the match was not bad at all, it was a bit predictable, obviously just a way to get the United States Championship over to Raw that way both mid-card titles aren't on Smackdown.

The match was slow, but did have some pretty great spots, spots that only a high-flyer like Kofi Kingston would be able to pull off.  And, while it was slow, it kept the fans hooked by always keeping a table nearby.

The match ended when Kofi Kingston leaped off of the top rope to the outside to put Sheamus through a table.

Match Rating: 6 out of 10.

Whipping Match: Michael Cole and Jack Swagger def. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

Next on the card was the Tag Team Country Whipping Match.

Jack Swagger makes his entrance holding a strap, while Michael Cole is wrapped in bubble wrap.

Jim Ross makes his entrance, with his strap, which he is holding in his broken hand.  The hand he broke on Monday Night Raw bashing Cole's face in.

The starts off looking like a sword fight with weird little floppy swords, but after Cole gets unwrapped, Swagger and Lawler actually do some wrestling.

The match goes back and forth, with Swagger and Lawler doing the wrestling and Cole and Ross doing the "country whipping." 

I would imagine they told Cole and Ross not to do any real in-ring work because of what happened on Monday.  Between the bruised face, busted lip, and broken hand, they didn't fare all that well.

Michael Cole did, however get the win for his team after he rolled up Jim Ross.

Match Rating: 3 out of 10.

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Rey Mysterio def. Cody Rhodes

The next match was Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, to end their three-plus month-long feud.

Their WrestleMania match was a sleeper that turned out to be pretty great, so it would be hard to top, or even to follow.

Rhodes and Mysterio waste no time and immediately move to the outside and make their way up the ramp, onto the stage, into the crowd, and back to the concourse.

The match turned out to be pretty awesome.  They used their environment to pull off some pretty crazy moves.  After spending a good amount of time around the arena, they made their way back into the ring and Rey picked up the win with a 619.

It was a little disappointing to see a Falls Count Anywhere Match end in the ring, but that doesn't mean it was a bad match at all.

Match Rating: 6 out of 10.

Loser Leaves WWE Match: Layla def. Michelle McCool

For the first time in months, I found myself looking forward to the Divas match at the pay-per-view.  WWE has booked the breakup of LayCool flawlessly (pun completely intended), and that meant a Divas match the fans actually want to see.

The match wasn't very good at all, but then again, what can you expect from a Divas match?  The real story here is that Michelle McCool is gone, or at least taking a break.

Match Rating: 2 out of 10

Kharma Debuts

Michelle McCool was left in the ring, crying, when new music hits.

It's none other than the wrestler formerly known as Awesome Kong, Kharma, making her WWE debut.

She hits her new finisher on McCool and goes right back up the ramp, while we are shown a shot of the Divas locker room where all of the other divas are watching.

Between Kharma, Beth Phoenix, Tamina, Natalya, and Gail Kim it looks like we may finally see a credible Divas division in WWE.

Ladder Match: World Heavyweight Championship: Christian def. Alberto Del Rio

Someone needs to give Vince McMahon a reality check.  This match should have been the main event, period.  The fact that it is not is just stupid. 

None-the-less placement on the card has no effect of match quality, and this Ladder Match was awesome.

While Alberto Del Rio's slow in-ring style isn't a fit for Ladder Matches, Christian's high-octane wrestling made up for it.

Christian was significantly banged up here, too, with welts on his back and sides from hitting the Steel Steps and a cut on his head.

Edge rode out in a Jeep just in time to see Christian climb the ladder and become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

In what could have been a WrestleMania moment, Christian and Edge celebrated in the ring after Christian finally won his first World Heavyweight Championship.

Match Rating 9.5 out of 10

WWE Tag Team Championships: Big Show & Kane def. Wade Barrett & Ezekiel Jackson

Next up was another impromptu match, this time a Lumberjack Match for the WWE Team Championships.

The match wasn't good, but it wasn't bad.  "Meh" would be the right word to use here. 

Kane and Big Show retained their WWE Tag Team Championships, and the inner turmoil built up even more within The Corre.

Match Rating: 3.5 out of 10

Triple Threat Steel Cage Match: John Cena def. The Miz and John Morrison

The "main event" of the night was the Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship.  "Main event" is in quotes because the real main event here was Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio.

This match was great in its own right, but what can follow Christian winning his first World Heavyweight Championship?

John Morrison, despite not having a very intriguing gimmick or having very much character at all, pulled off some amazing spots and added a new level of depth to the match.

The Miz and John Cena also had their fair share of moments, but John Morrison really did steal the show here.

R-Truth ran in and prevented Morrison from winning, entered the cage, and continued to beat Morrison.

With Morrison down, Cena was able to hit the Attitude Adjustment from the top rope on The Miz and become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Match Rating: 8.5 out of 10