WWE Extreme Rules 2018 Matches: Dream and Nightmare Scenarios for Top Stars

While WWE Extreme Rules 2018 doesn't have the usual mix of anarchic stipulations and unpredictability, the pay-per-view still represents an important step on the company's road to SummerSlam.

With dual-brand pay-per-views and fewer shows now the order of the day in WWE, it is also important the company nails its plans this weekend for all of its top stars.

However, there are a number of dream and nightmare scenarios for those big names, which could yet have a sizeable impact on their direction moving forward. 

Here's a look at how Extreme Rules could play out for those stars. 

Roman Reigns

With the plans of the Universal Championship still very much up in the air, it's difficult to know what to make of Roman Reigns' match with Bobby Lashley on Sunday.

On one hand, there's every possibility the winner will get the shot at Brock Lesnar for the title at SummerSlam. But if Lesnar's booking direction changes, this could end up being a match with little consequence attached to it.

And that, in many ways, is the nightmare scenario for Reigns. It's hard to imagine he'll lose to Lashley, making the only significance of his match what happens next for The Big Dog.

A victory that does little to improve his standing won't satisfy himself or WWE fans. 

And while he likely won't appear, the dream scenario for Reigns would be Lesnar emerging to officially lay down the challenge for SummerSlam.

It would give Reigns clear direction, even if it isn't quite the direction many WWE fans are hoping for given the plethora of talent who could challenge for the Universal Championship.

Seth Rollins

Arguably the biggest star of 2018 so far in WWE, Sunday promises to be an interesting night for the direction of Seth Rollins' character for the rest of the calendar year.

His Intercontinental Championship match with Dolph Ziggler has the makings of the match of the night, particularly given how Rollins has a knack of putting on stellar affairs with whomever he wrestles.

The dream scenario for Seth? You would assume winning back the championship and going on another run with the belt, which he did a fair job of improving the prestige of during the time it was around his waist.

From there, the possibilities for potential feuds are endless—but one potential foe could yet represent his nightmare scenario.

The prospect of Dean Ambrose returning from injury is looming large. In fact, his return could be so imminent that he may yet appear at Extreme Rules and cost his former Shield brother victory.

That would then lead to a match between the two at SummerSlam, and even if Ambrose isn't cleared to return just yet, it wouldn't stop him returning on Sunday night.

After all, Tomasso Ciampa returned while on crutches to set up his blockbuster, unforgettable rivalry with Johnny Gargano. Stranger things have happened in WWE.

AJ Styles

The WWE Championship has remained in the hands of one man for almost eight months now—and it's somewhat inevitable that AJ Styles' nightmare scenario at Extreme Rules involves dropping the title he has made his own.

Defeat to Rusev is not a guarantee, even if there is a growing feeling there may be time for a change at the top of the company with the WWE Championship.

Rusev has been lingering in the midcard for so long that pushing him into title contention almost immediately would be a surprise. But if Styles comes up short, it's impossible to argue that is his nightmare scenario. It would leave him somewhat in limbo moving towards SummerSlam.

His dream scenario? Winning the title with minimum fuss. With the potential distractions of Aiden English and even Lana at ringside, there is bound to be some sort of involvement which could diminish Styles' chances of leaving Extreme Rules with the title.

Winning would then allow him to move on to all sorts of possibilities for SummerSlam, including title feuds against big names like Samoa Joe. You suspect that come the biggest show of the summer, he will still hold the WWE Championship.