WWE Extreme Rules 2012: 5 Matches We Need to See in Chicago at Next PPV

Extreme Rules is just 17 days away from Chicago, Illinois. The first post-WrestleMania pay-per-view will certainly look a little bit different than the grand event of WrestleMania. For one, there have been a few superstars that have debuted since WrestleMania, including the return of Brock Lesnar, who will wrestle at Extreme Rules. Both brands will also be on pay-per-view for the first time since John Laurinaitis took control of both Raw and Smackdown.

So what will the Johnny Ace-led WWE product put forth for Extreme Rules, an event that last year gave us three title changes, a retirement of a Diva, the debut of Kharma and an announcement of Osama bin Laden's death? Well, I don't think WWE could copy the formula for last year exactly, but this show still has a chance to be good.

There are two matches already announced. Brock Lesnar and John Cena will square off in Lesnar's first match in WWE since WrestleMania XX. There will also be Sheamus's first World Heavyweight Championship title defense on pay-per-view as he and Daniel Bryan, the former champion, face one another in a Two Out of Three Falls match.

So what joins these two matches in Chicago? Here are five good suggestions that fans will want to see and WWE may want to bring us.

Kane vs Randy Orton (Falls Count Anywhere Match)

Extreme Rules is in the post-WrestleMania position for a reason. It is usually where WrestleMania feuds go to die. If there is one feud destined to reach its expiration date soon, it is Kane and Randy Orton. This feud started rather randomly and would only do right by ending randomly too. At WrestleMania, Kane got a victory over The Viper, so it seems only fitting that it continued until Orton got the better of The Big Red Monster.

The feud seems to be pulling itself toward a Falls Count Anywhere match, considering that Kane beat up Orton's father, Hall of Famer "Cowboy" Bob Orton, in the back of the arena and proceeded to do the same to Orton when The Apex Predator came to the aid of his father.

There will be no places that these two can't go in the arena in Chicago. They'll fight in hallways and boiler rooms. It will bring back memories of what ended their feud last time around, when they fought around the arena on an episode of Smackdown, as well as what injured Orton in a street fight with Wade Barrett a few months ago.

CM Punk vs Chris Jericho vs Mark Henry (Steel Cage Match)

Not only is it an obvious notion that there will be a WWE Championship, but there will also be a CM Punk match in his hometown of Chicago. There was kind of a big deal involving Punk and the title the last time WWE pay-per-view was in Chicago. That was at Money in the Bank last year, when Punk won his first WWE Championship in a certified five-star encounter.

Punk and Jericho have barely encountered one another in person since the two had a fantastic match at WrestleMania, which Punk won to retain his championship. It has now gotten to be very personal, including Jericho attacking Punk and pouring alcohol on top of the straightedge superstar.

Mark Henry has also emerged as a threat to Punk and will have yet another chance at the WWE Championship this Monday on RAW. Punk has had a hard time fending off the World's Strongest Man and that could extend to Extreme Rules. Last year had Extreme Rules main event with a triple threat steel cage match for the WWE Championship. Could this year be the same thing? It would end Punk's feuds with both Jericho and Henry since cage matches historically end feuds.

Big Show vs Cody Rhodes (Last Man Standing Match)

Cody Rhodes was Intercontinental Champion for so many months. Big Show took that all away at WrestleMania, redeemed himself for his other shortcomings at the event, and won the one championship that had eluded him. Since then, Big Show has been a thorn in the side of Rhodes, who has paid for the torture that he put on the World's Largest Athlete.

There have been blows both mentally and physically over the weeks, but enough has become enough. Big Show can knock out anyone and it would be the ultimate insult for Rhodes to deliver a knockout blow to the giant. A Last Man Standing match would be able to knock Big Show down to size. Conversely, a KO given to Rhodes would get him off of the back of the Intercontinental Champion.

The Usos vs Primo and Epico (Lumberjack Match)

The tag team division in WWE is back on a rise. I know that we have heard that one before, but it is a lot more hopeful to think that way. Primo and Epico really have a nice ability and can hold those titles a little bit longer, but The Usos are really beginning to impress a lot of people. Anyone who saw the WrestleMania pre-show match with these two, along with Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel, can vouch for that. There's the potential for something with these two teams.

Imagine that The Usos nearly win the titles, only to have Epico and Primo walk out of the match. It would prompt a Lumberjack Match between the two teams, giving them a stipulation for this gimmick pay-per-view. I could also see this match getting a Tables match stipulation and even including R-Truth and Kofi Kingston, who have a victory over the tag team champions.

Brodus Clay/Santino Marella/Zack Ryder vs Dolph Ziggler/Jack Swagger/The Miz

Here's your random six-man tag team match to make sure certain stars make it on to the card. Brodus Clay and Santino Marella are in the middle of something with Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler, but don't have a lot to go off of it to generate a real feud. It's basically Santino being in the crosshairs of Ziggler and Swagger and Clay trying to help defend the United States Champion.

At the same time, it was Zack Ryder who lost at WrestleMania to The Miz and cost Teddy Long his job. The Miz then got another victory over Ryder the night after WrestleMania. Ryder has been reeling lately and The Miz is getting a hot streak going. Combine these two feuds together, make a six-man tag with five members from the Team Teddy vs Team Johnny match and maybe put a stipulation on it as well. The victory can go to Santino, Ryder and Clay to not have the faces fall too far down and keep Clay's undefeated streak going.

If booked the right way and a few wrenches thrown in, this could actually be something to occupy these men going into the summer and around SummerSlam. It could also make a Money in the Bank match interesting in July.

Follow @RobertAitkenBR