WWE Extreme Rules 2015 Matches: Final Picks and Predictions for Every Bout
Sunday night, WWE presents its Extreme Rules pay-per-view from the AllState Arena in suburban Chicago.
In the night's main event, WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins defends against Randy Orton in a Steel Cage match in which The Viper's RKO is banned and The Authority's Kane serves as the guardian of the gate.
John Cena will defend the United States Championship against Rusev in a Russian Chain match, a first for the pay-per-view event, while Roman Reigns looks to rebound from a disappointing conclusion to WrestleMania 31 and his match with Brock Lesnar by facing the gigantic Big Show in a Last Man Standing match.
Dolph Ziggler will battle Sheamus in a rare Kiss Me Arse match, while Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper bring the violence and chaos in a Chicago Street Fight.
With seven matches slated for the main broadcast and a tag title bout kicking things off, the card has the makings of an extraordinary one.
On the heels of a critically acclaimed WrestleMania, can the company continue its streak of quality pay-per-view events?
Prediction: Yes.
As for the night's biggest matches, here is who you can expect to see emerge from this weekend's spectacular with their arms raised in victory.
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The New Day
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The New Day gimmick was a major flop, to say the least, resulting in a heel turn that sees the motivational threesome blatantly egging on the jeers of the fans. The crowd meets their clapping with chants of "New Day sucks," and their entrance draws some of the biggest heat of any given show.
On the other hand, WWE tag team champions Tyson Kidd and Cesaro have been the subjects of cheers and adulation as of late. Fans appreciate their in-ring work and want to see them succeed.
On the April 20 episode of Raw, Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated the Lucha Dragons to earn the title to challenge Kidd and Cesaro for the titles. Days later on SmackDown, Kingston beat Cesaro to further solidify the challengers as a threat.
Prediction: Tyson Kidd and Cesaro
The champions will retain here, defeating a New Day squad that is guaranteed to feel the wrath of the Chicago fans.
Given the talent of all involved, it was surprising to see that the match has been moved to the Extreme Rules Kickoff show, even if it is commonplace to see WWE misuse and mismanage the tag titles.
The match should be a great way to get the crowd hot for the rest of the night's action and prove that the tag division is not in nearly as bad a shape as we think.
With a potential match with Sin Cara and Kalisto awaiting them, the champions will cruise to victory.
Chicago Street Fight: Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper
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At WrestleMania 31, Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper competed for the intercontinental title in a brutal, high-stakes ladder match.
During that bout, Harper delivered a vicious powerbomb to Ambrose through a ladder that essentially ended the Lunatic Fringe's chances of leaving the Showcase of the Immortals with the gold. Days later, on SmackDown, he again powerbombed Ambrose, this time through the announcers' table.
Since then, Ambrose has made it his mission to avenge the brutal assaults, leading to a brawl that kicked off the April 20 episode of Raw.
Ambrose got the best of his rival there, as well as on SmackDown, where he teamed with Roman Reigns to defeat Harper and Seth Rollins, but will he be as lucky come Sunday night's pay-per-view broadcast?
Prediction: Dean Ambrose
Not since The Shield disbanded has the Lunatic Fringe won a high-profile bout.
For those unaware, that was a year ago.
Since then, Ambrose has battled Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins and Bad News Barrett in pay-per-view contests but has not picked up a win to this point.
That should change Sunday night. As good as Harper is and as talented as he may be, he can endure a loss and still come back strong because of his consistency between the ropes. Ambrose, on the other hand, is supposed to be one of the bigger babyfaces on the roster; at some point, the good guy has to win, or he risks looking like a fool.
The match should be brutal and high-impact, and could be the show-stealer. But by night's end, expect to see Ambrose pick up that much-needed PPV win before moving on to whatever awaits him next.
Divas Championship Match: Naomi vs. Nikki Bella
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With the sudden and unexpected retirement of AJ Lee, the Divas division in WWE was thrown into upheaval. Add to that Paige's exit from television to shoot a Christmas film with The Miz titled Santa's Little Helper, and you have a women's roster in transition.
Naomi turned heel to write Paige off television. From there, she defeated both Brie Bella and Natalya to earn a championship opportunity against current Divas titleholder Nikki Bella, another heel.
With no clear-cut fan favorite, it should be interesting to see which Diva the fans in Chicago get behind.
Will they opt to support the super athletic Naomi or Bella, the poster girl of WWE, who has developed into a quality heel over the last six months?
And who leaves Windy City with the title?
Prediction: Nikki Bella
Throughout the build to this Divas title match, Naomi has never felt like a legitimate threat to Nikki Bella's title. Instead, it appears as though she is a last-minute replacement, an afterthought thrust into the role out of necessity rather than any real long-term plans for her.
Nikki, on the other hand, has been effective as the heel champion. Her in-ring work has improved tremendously, and she is incredibly unlikable, the perfect attributes for a quality heel.
While Naomi will shine, as she typically does in any of her opportunities to compete for the title, Nikki will find a way to retain, even if that means relying on her sister, Brie, for some interference.
Kiss Me Arse Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus
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Sheamus' return to WWE programming coincided with a much-needed heel turn. His recent attitude change has breathed life into a character who had grown stale in the year that preceded the turn and has helped him build momentum heading into the summer.
While it appeared at one point he would feud with Daniel Bryan over the intercontinental title, he quickly refocused his attention on Dolph Ziggler.
On the April 16 episode of SmackDown from London's 02 Arena, Sheamus revealed that their match at Extreme Rules would be a Kiss My Arse match, a stipulation that drew groans from the fans.
And understandably so.
Which Superstar will endure the indignity of having to pucker up and kiss the backside of the winner?
Prediction: Dolph Ziggler
This is the most difficult match to predict on the Extreme Rules card.
Sure, Sheamus has the heat at the moment, thanks to his new bully gimmick, but the way the match has been built (and the stipulation that has been attached) seems to suggest the babyface goes over here. Of course, this could always be an excuse for WWE Creative to stick it to Ziggler once again, but even the company would have to know the danger that exists in doing that.
There is no turning back from that finish. If Ziggler loses to Sheamus and endures the post-match humiliation, he is essentially dead in the water. It kills the character dead and prevents him from ever achieving legitimate main event status again.
Meanwhile, Sheamus could use the loss and disgrace as the emphasis for an even meaner, angrier and aggressive attitude in the coming weeks, leading to a marquee program with someone such as John Cena.
Either way, WWE Creative has booked itself into a corner with this stipulation that better suits a babyface victory.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett
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Daniel Bryan's win in the ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31 should have been the start of his role in revitalizing the title.
Instead, another injury has potentially sidelined him, keeping him from defending the title in his scheduled match against Bad News Barrett at Extreme Rules.
As of the April 23 episode of SmackDown, there was no determination on Bryan's status for the event, but commentator Michael Cole mentioned his injuries on that broadcast, as well as the previous Monday's Raw.
Will Bryan compete, or will Barrett win the title via forfeit, marking the second straight year that Bryan had to hand over a championship without losing it?
Or will WWE find a suitable replacement for Bryan, making sure Barrett earns any title he may leave Chicago with?
Winner: Bad News Barrett
With WWE.com still reporting that Bryan's injuries are under observation and that his status remains unclear for Extreme Rules, it is appearing less likely that he will actually compete by the time Sunday rolls around.
If WWE finds a replacement in a game Neville, who recently scored a pinfall victory over Barrett on SmackDown, it will provide fans with an excellent championship bout.
Either way, though, expect to see Barrett acquire his sixth IC title, etching his name in the history books as one of the best to ever hold that championship.
Last Man Standing Match: Roman Reigns vs. Big Show
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In the wake of Roman Reigns' epic championship clash with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31, he has found himself saddled in a rivalry with Big Show that will culminate at Extreme Rules when they meet in a Last Man Standing match.
The giant got the best of the juggernaut during WWE's tour of England, delivering a vicious chokeslam atop a vehicle that caved in the roof and left Reigns in a heap.
Reigns accepted Big Show's challenge for a match at this weekend's pay-per-view spectacular and built considerable momentum for himself by pinning world champion Seth Rollins on the April 23 episode of SmackDown, just 72 hours from the titanic clash.
Prediction: Roman Reigns
There is no other acceptable outcome than Roman Reigns defeating Big Show at Extreme Rules.
Reigns is the clear face of WWE's future, the star it has spent the last year building in anticipation of a major push. A loss to Big Show would not only prove a major setback, but it would erase any credibility he has as a main event star.
Big Show has dedicated his adult life to the industry, paid his dues and is arguably the greatest giant in the history of the company, at least from an in-ring perspective. With that said, he is past his prime, and a win for him over Reigns would be counterproductive.
Worst of all, it would only intensify the criticisms about his age and ability to perform at a high level.
Reigns needs this win. More importantly, he needs to put the feud with Big Show in the rearview mirror so he can get back to building his main event resume and chasing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Russian Chain Match for the United States Championship: John Cena vs. Rusev
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At WrestleMania 31, John Cena defeated Rusev for the United States Championship, becoming the first competitor to deal the Bulgarian Brute a pinfall loss.
The new titleholder spent the ensuing weeks defending in open challenges, battling some of the most talented young stars on the roster.
It was not until Rusev attacked with a Russian chain that the feud intensified. The so-called Super Athlete punished the champion, locking him in the Accolade with the assistance of that same chain in a backstage assault.
Russian Chain matches have been some of the most brutal and violent bouts in the long and illustrious history of sports entertainment. With the bloodthirsty fans in Chicago watching, can Cena overcome the determined Rusev and retain his title, or will the former champion regain the gold he lost just weeks earlier on the grandest stage in wrestling?
Prediction: John Cena
While Rusev is a star of the future, it feels like Cena is just getting started in what should be a defining reign as U.S. champion. His work with the younger stars in the company to this point has helped elevate the importance of the title.
Rusev's regaining the title would be a step back for both him and the championship.
The match will be a brutal affair, perhaps the match of the night, but Cena will retain and move on to his next major challenge.
Steel Cage Match for the WWE World Title: Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
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Randy Orton's victory over Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31, coupled with a Triple Threat win over Roman Reigns and Ryback, earned him the right to challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. With his RKO banned at the order of champion Rollins, it will be anything but easy for The Viper to leave Chicago with the title.
Factor in Director of Operations Kane serving as the gatekeeper for the match, keeping Superstars out of the steel cage that will contain the combatants, and you have even greater odds for the third-generation star to overcome.
But things have not been easy for The Authority, with dissension between Rollins and Kane causing a schism that will likely factor into Sunday's main event.
Will it be to the detriment of Rollins as he attempts to retain his title in his first pay-per-view defense, or is it all one big farce to ultimately screw Orton out of another reign with the top prize in the industry?
Prediction: Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins is leaving Chicago with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
It is far too early for him to drop the title, especially to a guy who gains nothing from a victory. Orton is a made man, a legendary star who will one day be a Hall of Fame inductee. He does not need the championship to be any more over with the fans as a main event star.
Switching the title here would only hurt the momentum and credibility of Rollins, and after spending a year building him up to be the lead heel in WWE, there is no way management risks undoing it all just to add to The Viper's already impressive resume.
Kane's involvement adds intrigue but, even if he is booked to be heavily involved in the bout, it will result in Rollins keeping his championship reign intact.
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