WWE Extreme Rules 2015: Full Grades for Each Superstar at PPV
WWE's annual reunion with extremity, Extreme Rules, is in the can, and overall, the show was solid as opposed to spectacular.
There were some decent matches on the night, but there were very few you could say were absolutely stunning.
Sure, a title change for The New Day was a pleasant surprise, but elsewhere very little happened that would have shocked WWE fans.
It was a largely predictable night overall, and given how the WWE Network and the pay-per-view was free, you'd have expected slightly more in the way of drama.
Regardless though, here's how every star on the main show graded.
Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper
1 of 7
Dean Ambrose
The Lunatic Fringe finally getting his first solo win on pay-per-view since the split of The Shield was the right decision here.
The match had some decent back and forth, and Ambrose certainly tried his best to get a raucous Chicago crowd into the match.
Whether the two men had to drive off and stunt the momentum of the match is questionable, but when they returned, Ambrose again went after Harper in impressive fashion. All in all, with the win and the performance, it was a solid night's work for Ambrose.
Grade: B+
Luke Harper
Harper has broken away from Bray Wyatt in a much more convictive fashion than Erick Rowan, and that showed again here with another strong showing.
Harper has retained some of the wacky qualities that saw him become a valuable member of The Wyatt Family, and he's currently a solid addition to the middle of any card the WWE put on.
Even though his performance here wasn't quite as strong as Ambrose's, Harper took some vicious shots throughout the course of the contest.
Grade: C+
Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus
2 of 7
Dolph Ziggler
The stipulation heading into this match threatened to take plenty of spotlight away from the in-ring action, and that ultimately proved to be the case.
However, Ziggler is very much one of the WWE's reliable performers when it comes to pay-per-view, and he again put in a great effort here.
His DDT on the outside of the ring to Sheamus was a particular highlight, and although the match was more about the ending, Ziggler more than played his part here.
Grade: C+
Sheamus
Even though he lost, it was good to see Sheamus continue his momentum with what happened after the match.
Forget the tussle of the match itself, this was more about giving the Irishman yet more heat since his impressive return as a heel just after WrestleMania.
By handing out a huge Brogue Kick to Ziggler after the match instead of kissing his "arse", Sheamus continues to move forward with impressive pace.
Grade: B-
Cesaro and Tyson Kidd vs. The New Day
3 of 7
Cesaro and Tyson Kidd
Tyson Kidd's road to redemption since fighting his way out of NXT back to becoming a tag champion is an admirable story, and he continues to impress.
His performance at Extreme Rules was a decent one, and he is the perfect partner for Cesaro when it comes to fighting as a pair.
But it's the performance of Cesaro which caught the eye more here. The Swiss Superman stole the show here, and with his patented swing back as the champs were booked as babyfaces, it was another great effort from Cesaro.
His agility, strength and overall performances are so impressive that it will leave WWE fans wondering just where that major push is in his career.
Grades: Cesaro A-; Kidd B-
The New Day
The decision to hand the titles to The New Day may not have been popular, but what it does do is allow this rivalry to continue a while longer.
Kofi Kingston was perhaps the more impressive performer of the two heels here, and the chemistry he had when in the ring with Cesaro was very enjoyable to watch.
And Big E continues to pull off his role as the muscle of this hit-and-miss stable relatively well, even if he hasn't really wowed any fans just recently.
Grades: Kingston B-; Big E C
John Cena vs. Rusev
4 of 7
John Cena
This was perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of the night, in truth. Cena's inevitable victory aside, there wasn't even much going on concerning the stipulation.
These kinds of contests should bring violence and extremity with the thing holding the two men together as a main weapon.
But Cena's performance lacked any real energy or anything out of the ordinary. Their third match, slated for Payback, will have to be much better.
Grade: D
Rusev
Much like Cena, Rusev failed to get going throughout in this match.
There were a couple of nice moments where Rusev did use the chain to his advantage, which gives him a slightly better grade than Cena.
But the whole match just seemed to drag a tad, and both men have to take responsibility for that.
Two losses in a row on pay-per-view also leave fans wondering where Rusev might be in six months time.
Grade: C-
Nikki Bella vs. Naomi
5 of 7
Nikki Bella
Unfortunately for the reigning Divas Champion, this was a performance that was filled with largely forgettable moments.
Her title reign hasn't exactly sparkled, and a serious amount of confusion over what sort of role The Bella Twins are trying to play leaves them almost lost in the shuffle.
The cheap win for Nikki, despite working as a babyface, simply rounded off a showing that didn't really prove anything for her title credentials.
Grade: D
Naomi
Armed with her new theme tune which finally branches her away from being a Funkadactyl, Naomi looked strong for long stretches here.
Although she lost somewhat controversially, that should be the catalyst for a renewed run at The Bella Twins here.
She certainly does have an edge about her, but the WWE need to sort out the booking prior to their next meeting. All in all though, a decent effort from Naomi.
Grade: C
Roman Reigns vs. Big Show
6 of 7
Roman Reigns
Few would have expected that Roman Reigns would deliver the performance of the night at Extreme Rules, but that's exactly what happened.
It shows that when he isn't being force-fed to fans on a weekly basis and allowed to perform with fluency, he can still be a big hit.
The brutality and energy throughout the match from Reigns was unmissable, and it made for a great performance.
This should now be the platform for him to move forward and connect with the fans properly.
Grade: A
Big Show
Just as Roman Reigns stepped up a gear at Extreme Rules, so too did Big Show.
His incredible chokeslam that sent Reigns hurtling through two tables on the outside of the ring was a great spot, and it helped build towards the impressive ending.
Show took some pretty brutal bumps throughout, and although his size naturally dictates a slower pace in his matches, he still played a part in the match of the night.
Grade: B+
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton
7 of 7
Seth Rollins
The main event at Extreme Rules could perhaps be best described as solid, and that's an apt description of Seth Rollins' performance, too.
The WWE World Heavyweight Champion always manages to hold his own whenever he performs, and that proved to be the case again here. However, a lack of extremity in the match hindered the tension and energy.
The diving knee off the cage wall to Randy Orton was a nice segment though, and the finish was what we now expect from a clever, crafty heel like Rollins.
Grade: B+
Randy Orton
Orton has done well since turning babyface, and he and Rollins have a good level of chemistry inside the ring.
The more memorable segments in this match came from Orton, with the Pedigree on the defending champion a surprise move that caught everyone out.
The superplex from the top of the cage was another impressive string to Orton's bow, and although he came up short here, expect him to be fighting for the title again at Payback.
Grade: B+
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