WWE Extreme Rules 2012: An Early Preview and Predictions for Matches in Chicago

WWE Extreme Rules takes place in Chicago at the Allstate Arena on April 29, and the card is already shaping up to be a very similar card to WrestleMania 28.

I will be attending the show this year and from what I am seeing, this could end up being an excellent PPV, especially considering there is a lot of pressure coming off WrestleMania.

The Chicago crowds are always a very fun audience to be a part of, and with CM Punk being the champion, you know his hometown crowd will be behind him 100 percent.

We already know about two matches which will definitely take place, but there are a few more which look to be all but certain, so I thought I would take a look at what we can expect the card to look like at Extreme Rules and who might win those matches.

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus 2/3 Falls World Title Match

In one of the rematches we will see from WrestleMania, we will get the former World Champion Daniel Bryan trying to regain his title from the man who beat him in 18 seconds, Sheamus.

This is sure to be a much better match than what we witnessed at Mania, given the recent show of support for Bryan by his fans after the joke of a loss he was forced to suffer.

The YES chants brought about a new shirt for the cocky heel, but I have a feeling he will be back to being an annoying character which draws heat very soon.

Sheamus is a major champion again for the first time since he lost the WWE Title and went into a slump. I do not expect WWE to take the title off of him so quickly, so I am going to have to go with Sheamus for the win on this one.

Also, logic dictates that if Alberto Del Rio is the next challenger after earning a title shot, then he would take on a babyface and not another heel like Bryan.

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena

John Cena faced The Rock at WrestleMania, and now he is set to face another former WWE star who brought himself back into the fold, Brock Lesnar.

This feud is shaping up to be very personal and filled with rage, just like we like them.

After seeing the two brawl a few times over the last couple of weeks, it is likely that we will see a knock-down, drag-out fight at Extreme Rules.

Seeing Lesnar in a real match is sure to be exciting, but after having Cena lose to The Rock, I have to wonder if WWE would take the risk and have him lose to Brock at the next PPV.

Since this match has no stipulation set for it yet, I would not be shocked to see some kind of double DQ or countout situation arise, paving the way for another match at the next PPV.

If there is a clean winner, I would have to think it would be Cena, since he is WWE's top guy and it would not make sense to have him lose twice in a row to guys who have been out of the business for years.

Unless WWE is putting Cena on a losing streak which will see him eventually become a much more violent person, I think it is a lock for the leader of the Cenation to get the win.

Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show IC Title (Stipulation Unknown)

Seeing as the feud between Cody Rhodes and Big Show has not cooled down one bit, I am fully expecting the announcement of a match between the two to be made next week.

Big Show has begun taking a page out of Rhodes playbook and showing clips which do not feature the former Dashing Cody Rhodes in the most positive light.

If these two were getting less TV time for the feud, then I might have my doubts, but the fact that they have continued to go back and forth shows me that WWE is not done with this feud yet.

I was shocked to see Big Show get the win over Rhodes at WrestleMania, but having Cody lose to Big Show only to come back and beat him later would certainly help the up-and-coming superstar.

If these two face off in any kind of Extreme stipulation, then I would have to go with Rhodes taking his IC title back. Big Show is a great champion, but he doesn't need the IC title to help get over.

Big Show is at a point in his career where he seems happy to help get the other guys over and he can do that by putting Rhodes over at Extreme Rules.

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho WWE Title (Stipulation Unknown)

If these two do not end up facing after all we have seen over the past few weeks, I will eat my hat. OK, so I won't actually eat it, but you get what I mean.

This feud has taken center stage on Raw and if we have learned anything, it is that Chris Jericho will do anything to get in Punk's head and get the WWE title back in his grasp.

He has insulted Punk's family, cost him matches and doused him with booze on more than one occasion. Combine all this with being hit in the head with a whiskey bottle, and you have a very pissed-off Punk.

Since Punk got the clean submission win over Jericho at WrestleMania, I would not be surprised to see Jericho get the title from Punk this time.

Since this is going to be Extreme Rules, then it means Jericho will be able to do whatever underhanded tactic he wants and the ref will only be able to count to 3 or watch as Punk taps.

I am happy with CM Punk as Champion, but I think this feud will extend through SummerSlam and for that to remain interesting, it means Jericho has to get the win this time.

Another good reason to put the belt on Jericho would be to make Punk a man with nothing to lose in his quest for vengeance. A man with nothing to lose is much more dangerous, and Punk needs to be perceived as dangerous if he is going to be one of WWE's top guys for years to come.

Beth Phoenix vs. ??? Divas Title Match/Bella vs. Bella

Unless I am missing something, Beth Phoenix has been somewhat absent since losing to Maria Menounos at WrestleMania.

I would expect WWE to have some sort of Divas match on the card, but with no real feud in place for Beth, I have no idea who she might be facing.

Another possible match would be a Bella vs. Bella match. These two have been disagreeing on a few things lately, including which GM they backed at WrestleMania, and that could lead to a showdown between the twin sisters.

Either way, unless Kharma makes an appearance and shows everyone that the Divas division can be saved, the only ones losing will be the fans.

David Otunga vs. Santino Marella US Title (Stipulation Unknown)

There is no real reasoning for this match, but there are a few factors which could lead to it, allow me to list them for you.

• Santino has not been in a feud for the US title since he won it.
• David Otunga will most likely be rewarded by Big Johnny for doing a good job lately, perhaps with a title match.
• Santino was the captain of Team Teddy, meaning he is in line for a punishment from John Laurinaitis.
• David Otunga has never held a singles title before, and it could be the thing he needs to get over.
• Otunga seems to be getting pushed as of late, and Santino's push has somewhat stalled.
• The title has not been defended on a PPV since Elimination Chamber.

All this may not mean a match is certain, but if I know WWE, and I like to think I do, this match is very likely.

Johnny Ace likes to do two things: punish those who try and screw him over and reward those who help his evil cause.

Santino and Otunga were opposing captains at WrestleMania, so continuing their mini-feud would not be out of the question since neither man is in a real program with anyone else at the moment.

If this match happens, I see Otunga winning the belt by some cheap tactics and having John Laurinaitis put the belt on him personally while he poses in the ring to his strange entrance music.

I like what Otunga has been able to do with his character, and hopefully he gets a chance to shine on a PPV card in a singles match to prove he can deserves to be there.

Randy Orton vs. Kane (I Quit Match, Predicted Stipulation)

Kane made it very clear during Tuesday's live SmackDown that he is still up for another brawl with Randy Orton, and what better way to do it than an I Quit match.

The two men, who are known for their viciousness, should almost certainly lock up one more time in a match where no winner can be decided unless an opponent mutters those two simple, yet awful words.

I Quit matches are essentially glorified Falls Count Anywhere matches, except you have to make someone want to give up instead of forcing them to be on the mat for three seconds.

With these two men on a collision course for at least one more match, I am going to be shocked if they do not end up on the card.

Whether I am right on the stipulation prediction will have to wait to be seen, but if it is not an I Quit match, then at the very least I am expecting a Falls Count Anywhere match.

As for the winner, Kane got the last win, so Orton getting this victory would make the most sense.

That's All Folks!

These predictions are for what matches seem the most obvious, but there is a good chance that more matches could be included on the actual card.

WWE has guys like Del Rio, Ziggler and Miz who will be looking for spots on the card too, so a few new feuds could develop between now and Extreme Rules.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share your thoughts on what matches might take place below.