WWE Extreme Rules 2016: Full Breakdown, Predictions for Entire Match Card
Extreme Rules 2016 is just days away, and there's a certain buzz about this year's installment of the most hardcore night on the WWE calendar.
Aside from a solid undercard that's full of matches fans are eager to see, there are some major talking points hanging over the main event.
Will we finally see Finn Balor join his old friends Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson? Perhaps more importantly, where would that union leave AJ Styles?
Of course, with the likes of Seth Rollins, John Cena and Bray Wyatt all on the verge of making their return, there might be even bigger surprises planned for Sunday night.
Here is a full breakdown of the card for Extreme Rules 2016, along with predictions for every match scheduled for the show.
Pre-Show: Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin
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Baron Corbin has been largely anonymous since his victorious debut at WrestleMania back in April, but this pre-show bout—set to be contested under No Disqualification rules—could be a way to build up some momentum.
The feud between Corbin and Dolph Ziggler hasn't exactly been a focus of weekly television, but it's clear that WWE doesn't intend for this rivalry to be much more than an introduction to The Lone Wolf.
Ziggler stole a win over Corbin back at Payback, extending a feud that many assumed would be brief and decisive. In truth, there's not much opportunity for Corbin to rise up the card at the moment, so it's perhaps best that he remain embroiled with an athlete such as Ziggler for a little while.
The fact that this is on the pre-show makes it seem unlikely that there will be much depth to the contest, but hopefully both men are inspired by Kalisto's recent efforts to ensure matches that don't make the main card still matter. Still, the outcome seems set in stone.
Prediction: Baron Corbin wins decisively.
Rusev vs. Kalisto
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The lone singles match on the card for Extreme Rules doesn't need a stipulation to stand out as a top prospect for the match of the night.
WWE hasn't given Kalisto the spotlight during his time as United States champion, particularly over the last few months, but he's a wrestler who's committed to giving his all every time he steps between the ropes.
The master of the Salida del Sol demonstrated that he's capable of excellent matches against a much larger opponent over the course of his feud with Ryback. However, it's fair to say that the man he's facing this weekend is above and beyond The Big Guy in terms of his in-ring acumen.
WWE has underutilized Rusev in 2016 thanks to his affiliation with the League of Nations. Now he's out on his own and ready to re-establish himself as a singles performer—and as such, there's every reason to expect a compelling outing on Sunday night.
However, this is a feud that could easily run through the summer, so it's perhaps not time for the Bulgarian Brute to claim the title just yet.
Prediction: Kalisto retains.
The Usos vs. The Club
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Extreme Rules will see a rarely used stipulation brought back into the spotlight, as The Usos face The Club in a Tornado Tag Team match.
Given that these duos have met several times in recent weeks, the challenge for all four men involved will be to use the stipulation to their advantage and differentiate this contest from their prior encounters.
This match is inextricably tied to the main event, so it will be interesting to see whether either Roman Reigns or AJ Styles makes an appearance to interfere on behalf of his compatriots.
However, there's also the possibility that this match is on the card to set up a situation where both The Usos and The Club are rendered unable to interject during the main event.
Hopefully, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson will be able to use this match as a platform to further establish The Club. Anyone who's familiar with their work in Japan knows that there's a ton of potential there, but at present, they're coming across as a pair of sidekicks, rather than an imposing team in their own right.
Prediction: The Club gets the win.
The Vaudevillains vs. The New Day
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The Vaudevillains have outclassed all estimations in the first few weeks of their run on the main roster.
Many felt that this tag team was doomed to fail, having perfected a gimmick in NXT that seemed likely to bomb once it ditched Full Sail for arenas around the country.
However, Simon Gotch and Aiden English have tightened up their act, focusing on the elements that work and dropping most of the dead weight. They're an asset to the flourishing tag division—and they're looking more and more like the next tag team champions.
Gotch and English would become the most hated pair of villains in the company if they were to dethrone The New Day. That would do wonders to establish them decisively just weeks after they made their debut.
It would also amplify the effect of the inevitable feud with Big Cass and Enzo Amore. It seems likely that Cass and Enzo will be champions sooner rather than later—and it certainly makes more sense for them to claim the belts from The Vaudevillains than it would for them to unseat The New Day.
Prediction: The Vaudevillains become the new champions.
Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose
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On Sunday, Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho will make history by competing in WWE's first Asylum match.
Given Ambrose's tendency to excel with a stipulation involved—ignoring WrestleMania 32—this is likely to be the most extreme things get on Sunday night.
Of course, Jericho is likely to give as good as he gets, as he's no stranger to the use of weapons or steel cage matches. His Street Fight with CM Punk from 2012 was memorable, as was his compelling cage match with Edge from 2010.
Y2J still hasn't forgiven Ambrose for the destruction of his LED-enhanced entrance attire, and given that there's going to be a straitjacket hanging over the ring, we can expect outerwear to play a part in the bout on Sunday night.
That statement should illustrate that this match runs the risk of becoming too outlandish for its own good, but hopefully it'll end up being more hardcore and less ham-fisted.
Prediction: Dean Ambrose gets the win.
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. The Miz
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The WWE Intercontinental Championship picture has been electric ever since Payback, neatly combining two ongoing feuds into an all-out scramble for the gold.
Heels and faces made alliances, although they quickly broke down as push came to shove. On Sunday night, it will truly be every man for himself.
That said, it's very difficult to predict who will come out on top. Each of the four competitors has been on top of his game in recent weeks, and any of the wrestlers involved would be a compelling champion.
Cesaro seems renewed following his return. The Miz is clearly energized by the prospect of working with Maryse, and it's done wonders for his character. Meanwhile, Sami Zayn is making graduation to the main roster look easy.
However, Kevin Owens is doing everything that he can to get a nose ahead of a very competitive pack. He would be the favourite going into this match, if he didn't seem like such a strong candidate to claim the Money in the Bank briefcase next month.
This could really go in any direction, but the chaos of a Fatal 4 Way is always going to benefit a conniving villain such as Miz.
Prediction: The Miz retains.
Natalya vs. Charlotte
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Sunday night's WWE Women's Championship match has all the ingredients of a show-stealer, but the art is in the execution.
At Payback, the pair engaged in an entertaining context that was undercut by a strange, unnecessary callback to the Montreal Screwjob at its conclusion.
It now seems that the whole angle was just a laboured method of setting up a Submission match and stretching out the feud a little bit longer. Whether that was a waste of time or a canny decision depends on whether Sunday's match satisfies.
Natalya and Charlotte had a standout match at NXT's second live special back in 2014, and hopes were high that they would be able to build on that once they met on the main roster. That puts a lot of pressure on this weekend's title match.
This is a crucial time in Charlotte's reign as champion; she's now established at the top of her division, and she's in dire need of a feud that she can sink her teeth into. Up until this point, her program with Natalya has been plagued with distractions—but a strong finish could make up for that.
However, it doesn't seem likely that Natalya will be taking home the gold. She's still one of the best in her division, but it's clear that WWE is focused on its new generation of women.
Prediction: Charlotte retains.
AJ Styles vs. Roman Reigns
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Like the main event of Payback last month, there will be plenty of fans tuning in to Sunday night's main event to see whether or not a certain NXT standout makes his debut.
Ever since WWE signed Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, it has seemed likely that the company would use the duo to recreate some of the notoriety it shared with Finn Balor out in Japan. The two are currently aligned with AJ Styles, but that could all change in an instant.
Given that Sunday's world title match is set to be contested under Extreme Rules, there's every opportunity for run-ins and interference. It really wouldn't be surprising to see both The Club and The Usos show up, unless of course they're rendered unable to earlier on in the night.
However, none of this changes the fact that Roman Reigns is going to hold the WWE Championship for quite some time. Regardless of the mixed responses he's been getting, hurrying the belt away from him would cause his credibility to crumble.
Reigns will retain—but this feud might gain another wrinkle to extend it out to Money in the Bank.
Prediction: Reigns retains.
What are your predictions for Extreme Rules 2016? Make your voice heard in the comments section below.
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