WWE Extreme Rules 2017: Biggest Unanswered Questions Going into Raw Event

WWE will bring Extreme Rules to the masses on Sunday, June 4 at 8 p.m. ET. The Monday Night Raw exclusive event features a card stacked with title matches; four championships are on the line. Considering there are only six matches booked, it's safe to say that WWE is trying to draw some attention to the red brand's big night.

Fans have high hopes for this one, and that's to be expected.

The WWE Cruiserweight Championship will be defended when Neville faces Austin Aries in a Submission Match. This may be the best overall feud on the card, as both men have been battling since WrestleMania 33. Though Aries has come up short in the past, it could be that Extreme Rules will be the night when he finally brings home the gold.

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Alexa Bliss will take on Bayley in a Kendo Stick on a Pole Match. The Raw Women's Championship will be at stake, but the bigger story here is the stipulation. It may not seem like a big deal to some fans, but once again WWE has booked something for the women that's never been done before. Bayley may regain her title and finally get revenge, or Bliss could retain and destroy the former titleholder. 

Either way, the company is indeed breaking new ground with this match.

The Raw Tag Team Championships will be up for grabs as The Hardy Boyz step inside a steel cage to face Cesaro and Sheamus. Though the latter team's heel turn was a shock, they've developed some nice chemistry with the champs. Matt and Jeff have enjoyed a great run since they returned, but they could be stopped in their tracks by The Celtic Warrior and The Swiss Superman.

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Dean Ambrose and The Miz will go to war over the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The Miz is desperate to reclaim his title, and he will have an edge in this match. If Ambrose is disqualified, he loses the championship. Miz has never looked better and has become a very popular heel; it could be that WWE will make the change.

The two remaining matches include Sasha Banks and Rich Swann vs. Alicia Fox and Noam Dar. Many fans are not expecting much from this one, as it does feel like somewhat of a throwaway bout. But the same cannot be said of the main event, which has huge implications for the immediate future of Raw.

Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt will fight in a Fatal 5-Way to determine the new No. 1 contender to the Universal Championship. Brock Lesnar may not be in the picture right now, but that will change soon; he will need an opponent when he returns.

But who will that opponent be? Will Reigns get the nod once again? Will Balor vs. Lesnar be the eventual dream match? Or will Samoa Joe get a fantasy booking of his own with The Beast Incarnate? Those are just a few of the questions that remain unanswered heading into Extreme Rules.

What is Sasha Banks' Purpose in the Mixed Tag Match?

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From the moment the Mixed Tag Match was booked, fans have been asking why.

Why is one of WWE's hottest stars of the past year being relegated to a seemingly unimportant match alongside talents she's never really interacted with? Is she being punished, or is the move simply due to the natural trend of bringing a star down so that star can be brought back up again?

Banks was the perfect foil for Charlotte Flair, and some believe that perhaps The Boss should have won the rivalry in the end. That's how much the WWE faithful respected Banks, and it was also a clear indication of just how far she had come in such a short amount of time.

So if bringing her down to the level of a mixed tag with no title shot on the line is what must happen, then Banks should be able to make it work. But that means something should come from it all at Extreme Rules.

Banks should get the pin in the end and establish herself as the Alpha Female of the match. Fox shouldn't be squashed however so the match should be competitive, but it should be apparent that Banks is still The Boss.

Perhaps even a backstage confrontation with Alexa Bliss would be a good move for Banks. The two could cross paths and have a few words, which could spark some heat and lead to something much bigger down the road on Raw.

With Banks being in this spot, she should get something out of it. A new direction, a new opponent or a renewed rivalry; any of these moves would work for her. Otherwise, the match would indeed be the throwaway that many fans feel it is.

Will The Miz Regain the Intercontinental Championship?

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The Miz is arguably the best heel in WWE. 

The former WWE champion looks the part and he lives the part. Every time he's on camera, he's full of arrogance and contempt. Every time he's on the mic, he spews forth his egotistical rhetoric for the world to hear.

Every time he's in the ring, he delivers.

The Miz is the total package and has done more to revitalize his career than perhaps anyone in recent memory. But the same can perhaps not be said for Dean Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe seems to just wing it every time he's on TV.

There never seems to be any real thought behind what he does, and no thought given to where he may go next. Of course all of that plays into his character, which relies on spontaneity to survive. But the question is how much of that is indeed just part of the show?

The Miz appears capable of doing more with the Intercontinental Championship than Ambrose. That does not, however, guarantee a title change at Extreme Rules, but it's definitely a move that should be considered by WWE.

Miz is pitch perfect in his character and comfortable in his own skin. Regaining the championship opens the door for any babyface who wants to challenge him, and it elevates the title at the same time. Miz is enjoying the best run of his career, and it would only improve with another IC title.

Will Bayley Get Extreme on Alexa Bliss?

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Bayley is a competitor who would never take an unfair advantage. She would never rely on foreign objects to win a match and would surely never swing a kendo stick to beat her opponent down. Bayley is as far from extreme as a Superstar can get.

But she better learn how to get violent very quickly. 

Mixing Superstars with matches they have no history in can be a scary concept. That's especially true of this match, as its uncharted territory for both women. While their male counterparts would destroy each other with weapons if need be, that's simply never been the case for women's wrestling.

However, it is great to see the company continuing to break new ground for the women's division. The only question is whether Bayley will actually win and decimate Bliss afterward.

Bayley's image has been that of the squeaky-clean babyface, the woman that loves her fans and loves her life as a WWE Superstar. She's become a role model for girls all over the world, and it's obvious she takes that very seriously.

So will WWE allow her to take a kendo stick and beat Bliss down to the ground?

She must show some edge to her character eventually, and that's something that has never really happened to this point. Bayley is surely capable of using a kendo stick and making it look good. The only thing she needs is the green light from WWE to cut loose and get extreme.

But if the company decides to put Bliss over, then Bayley will be the Superstar left for dead in the ring. It could be that WWE wants nothing to do with that scenario at all. If that's true, then Bayley may indeed swing for the fences at Extreme Rules.

Who Will Win the Fatal 5-Way Main Event?

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This is the match everyone is talking about, and it has everything to do with Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar isn't booked at Extreme Rules, but his next opponent is. That man will come from the main event, and it's anyone's guess as to who that man will be. The smart money is on Finn Balor; he was the first universal champion and never lost the title in a match.

The possibility of seeing The Demon King face down The Beast Incarnate may be too much for WWE to pass up.

Samoa Joe versus Lesnar has great potential as well, though. Of all the Superstars in WWE, Joe may be the best possible matchup for the champ. It's a dream match for many fans, and it could become a reality if Joe wins.

Seth Rollins has some unfinished business with Lesnar, however, and WWE may decide to put over The Kingslayer at Extreme Rules. Rollins is a viable opponent for Lesnar, especially since the former Shield founder turned babyface and took down Triple H at WrestleMania 33.

Bray Wyatt may be the dark horse to win the match, but he shouldn't be discounted. WWE tends to gravitate toward the underdog story, and Wyatt would have to be considered the underdog here. He may have been WWE champion, but he's still not the favorite in the eyes of many fans.

Then there's Roman Reigns, the man perhaps the least desired by the WWE faithful to win it all. But The Big Dog has firmly established that WWE is his yard and that he's calling the shots now; it would not be a shock if he were to win at Extreme Rules.

WWE has some options here, and that's a good thing. No one wants complete predictability all the time, and that's definitely the case when it comes to this match. Going with Reigns is the safe choice, but having Joe win is the most intriguing. 

But in the end, it's likely Balor's match to win. Lesnar will fight whoever is put in front of him, and Balor has no problem fighting back. It could be the perfect situation for both men, and WWE would surely sell some tickets if that match takes place for the Universal Championship.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com