Fatal 5-Way WWE Extreme Rules 2017 Match Preview and Pick

Although WWE's Extreme Rules 2017 pay-per-view will be stacked with star power from the Raw brand, no match will have higher stakes than the Fatal 5-Way main event to determine a new No. 1 contender to the Universal Championship.

Champion Brock Lesnar disappeared from programming following his huge title win over Goldberg at WrestleMania 33. In his absence, the Superstars of Raw have been battling to ensure they are next in line for a shot at the strap when The Beast Incarnate returns.

Nothing is for certain, but it has been widely presumed by fans that the winner of Sunday's Fatal 5-Way match will get his title match with Lesnar at July's Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view. Better yet, any of the competitors could emerge victorious at Extreme Rules, making the matchup even more exciting.

Roman Reigns should be considered a heavy favorite to become the next No. 1 contender to the title given he has unfinished business with both Lesnar and the belt. He was unsuccessful in capturing the prestigious prize earlier this year at the Royal Rumble thanks to interference from Braun Strowman, and with The Monster Among Men out injured, this could be Reigns' opportunity to redeem himself.

However, all signs point to Reigns vs. Lesnar taking place at WrestleMania 34, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc). Having them interact at any point before then would be premature, so WWE should hold off on The Big Dog's return to the title picture for the foreseeable future.

Credit: WWE.com

Another former Shield member with whom Lesnar has history is none other than Seth Rollins. He and Lesnar feuded in the summer of 2015, with their Battleground bout ending in a no-contest, and Rollins has a much better chance of conquering The Beast two years later because of how far he's come as a competitor.

In recent months, Rollins has been embroiled in a rivalry with Samoa Joe, and despite The Architect beating Joe at Payback, bad blood remains between the two. It's safe to presume they will continue to wage war coming out of Extreme Rules, disqualifying Rollins from winning the Fatal 5-Way.

Speaking of Samoa Joe, he would be an awesome adversary for Lesnar. As a fresh bout, Joe vs. Lesnar has to the potential to be a blockbuster, but whether it is the right time to pull the trigger on that dream matchup is the question.

As noted, Rollins and Joe should wrap up their own program before moving on to other opponents. There is plenty of time between now and WrestleMania to have Joe and Lesnar go one-on-one, and an event such as the Royal Rumble would be the perfect place to host such an epic encounter.

Meanwhile, Bray Wyatt was once rumored by Wrestling Observer Live (h/t Nick Paglino of Wrestlezone) to be in the running to face Lesnar at WrestleMania 32, a match that never came to fruition. Could we finally be on the verge of seeing them clash on the heels of Wyatt's victory over Randy Orton at Payback?

Wyatt is far from being looked at as a legitimate threat to Lesnar and would be the worst possible choice to contend for the universal title. He doesn't have the same amount of momentum as the other combatants and would be beaten in decisive fashion by the champ.

That leaves Finn Balor, who is my prediction to win the Extreme Rules main event. It appeared he was being set up for a feud with Wyatt after Payback, but those plans were pushed back in favor of the Fatal 5-Way.

Balor vs. Wyatt could still occur at SummerSlam in August, but in the meantime, Balor deserves the next title shot since he has yet to receive his rightful rematch after giving up the belt last summer. He and Lesnar could have an exhilarating contest given the significant size difference, along with the possible scenario involving Paul Heyman as a factor in the finish.

Furthermore, it should be here that The Demon resurfaces after almost 10 months. That will be the difference-maker in allowing Balor to prevail over his opponents and cement his spot as a main event player on Raw.

Regardless of which Superstar walks out of the event with a title opportunity against Lesnar, the Fatal 5-Way match promises to deliver and set the stage for the Team Red's summer season.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.