Emma Has Surgery, Another Release and Top WWE News from Week of May 21

This was a somewhat quiet week for WWE news, and that might just be a good thing, especially with all the negativity surrounding recent workforce reductions. 

Extreme Rules will take place Sunday, May 22, and management has done all it can to make the event worth watching. Let's take a look at a few of the biggest stories from the past week and the final card for Sunday's pay-per-view.

Emma Has Successful Back Surgery

WWE was finally depicting Emma as a competitive Superstar in the women's division when a ruptured disc put her on the shelf.

Luckily for the Australian, the surgery went well, and she is now on the mend. She took to Twitter to express gratitude for all the fans who have supported her through what is obviously a difficult time.

"

Thank you all so much again for the support and keeping me in your thoughts! Surgery went well today! Just resting up now! ☺️

— EMMA (@EmmaWWE) May 19, 2016"

According to Matthew Artus of WWE.com, no timetable has been set for her return, but the most important thing is allowing herself to heal.

Dana Brooke had just debuted on the main roster as Emma's ally in her feud against Becky Lynch, but Brooke has been thrust into a bigger role due to her partner's injury.

The former bodybuilder is making the most of the opportunity she has been given, much like Colin Cassady when Enzo Amore was injured at Payback.

John Cena Hosting 2016 ESPY Awards

John Cena was announced as the host for the 2016 ESPY Awards, adding another credit to his already diverse resume.

Cena has shown his ability to be personable during appearances on The Today Show and during his stint as host of American Grit, so he is a great choice to run the annual ceremony.

Cena spoke with Arash Markazi in an interview with ESPN.com about what an honor it is to be chosen to host the event:

"They asked, and of course I said yes," Cena said. "It goes without saying it's a tremendous honor. The prestige of the show grows every year. It's unbelievable. I obviously accepted, but it doesn't go without its share of nerves."

His career has taken off over the past few years thanks to scene-stealing performances in Sisters and Trainwreck, other film roles, countless talk show appearances and his charity work, and that's all on top of his duties as a WWE Superstar and appearing on Total Divas.

The ESPYS will take place on July 13, and since Cena will have returned to the ring by that point, you can count on WWE milking his gig as host for some extra publicity.

Another WWE Talent Released

Another announcer can be added to the list of recent releases. WWE has let go NXT personality Alex Reyes, real name Alex Del Barrio, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com.

Reyes did some work for NXT, but he wasn't featured as often as some of the other non-wrestlers working in the developmental system.

The news comes shortly after WWE did some spring cleaning on its roster, with releases like Damien Sandow and The Brooklyn Brawler among the more surprising names on the list.

Updated Extreme Rules Card

Sunday's Extreme Rules pay-per-view will feature several rematches from Payback, but with a few added stipulations, it won't feel like we are watching the same show again.

Here is a quick rundown of the card, according to WWE.com:

• Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler in a No Disqualification match.
• Kalisto vs. Rusev for the United States Championship.
• Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho in the first ever Asylum match.
• The New Day vs. The Vaudevillains for the Tag Team Championships.
• Charlotte vs. Natalya in a Submission match for the Women's Championship.
• The Miz vs. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Championship.
• The Usos vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows in a Texas Tornado Tag Team match.
• Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles in an Extreme Rules match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

What are your predictions for Extreme Rules 2016?

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter: @BR_Doctor.