WWE Extreme Rules 2018 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights
WWE limped into Pittsburgh's PPG Paints Arena for an Extreme Rules pay-per-view preceded by creatively bankrupt television, questionable booking decisions and the continued absence of universal champion Brock Lesnar, yet there was still reason to be intrigued by the WWE Network presentation.
The SmackDown Live portion of the lineup featured the first WWE Championship for cult favorite Rusev, who challenged AJ Styles, and the reunited Team Hell challenging The Bludgeon Brothers for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
Raw brought to the show a heated bout between Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley that would go a long way in determining the top contender to Lesnar's title and a 30-minute Iron Man match pitting intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler against Seth Rollins.
Was the show able to deliver despite the lackluster build and disappointing creative returns that dominated the pre-event build?
Find out with this recap of Sunday's pay-per-view extravaganza, complete with grades and analysis for each of the night's 12 bouts.
Pre-Show: Sin Cara vs. Andrade 'Cien' Almas
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In a rematch of Tuesday night's barnburner, Sin Cara and Andrade "Cien" Almas kicked off the festivities at this year's Extreme Rules, taking to the squared circle for the night's first contest.
The masked luchador set the pace immediately, taking the fight to Almas from the opening bell. Almas, though, slowed the momentum of his opponent, catching him coming through the ropes and sending him shoulder-first into the guardrail as the commentary team discussed the further damage done to Sin Cara's previously injured elbow.
An overconfident Almas, whose tranquilo pose motivated his opponent's comeback, found himself on the receiving end of the high-flying arsenal of the masked babyface. A nervous Zelina Vega shouted instructions at her charge as he reeled, unable to slow Sin Cara's momentum.
A teased superplex spot ended with Sin Cara sending Almas back-first onto the ring apron. A nasty, ugly hurricanrana spot followed, and a frog splash from Sin Cara had him moments from a victory.
However, a well-timed distraction from Vega, the corner knee strike and a hammerlock DDT earned Almas the hard-fought victory.
Result
Almas defeated Sin Cara
Grade
B-
Analysis
Not quite up to the level of Tuesday's match, but Almas and Sin Cara have such good in-ring chemistry that the finished product will almost always be a satisfying one.
This was not as smooth or fluid as their previous bout, and that aforementioned hurricanrana spot to the floor was unnecessarily dangerous, but Almas scored a quality win while Sin Cara's star was again enhanced thanks to a second consecutive war of a match.
The question now is where Almas goes from here.
Arguably one of the five best wrestlers in all of WWE in 2018, he has been treading water on the SmackDown roster thanks to a lack of direction.
Almas needs a quality program against a credible opponent in order to build momentum and earn the respect of an audience that may not necessarily be familiar with his stellar work in NXT. Until that happens, he will continue to impress in matches like this one but struggle to be accepted on a grand scale.
Pre-Show Tables Match: The New Day vs. Sanity
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Sanity made a tremendous impact two weeks ago when Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe hit the ring and attacked New Day, leaving the former tag team champions lying after putting them through tables.
Sunday night, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E sought revenge as they took the fight to the dangerous, unpredictable trio in the night's second Kickoff Show match.
In an early spot that turned the tide in Sanity's favor, Young and Wolfe caught a charging Big E with knees to the face and grounded the big man. Kingston and Woods answered moments later with a stereo suicide dive that wiped Wolfe and Young out but were quickly taken out themselves by a soaring Dain, who left them lying at ringside.
Woods and Big E flattened Dain with a uranage backbreaker before Kingston obliterated Wolfe and Young with a double stomp assault from the top rope, with assistance from his partners.
The abrupt finish came when Wolfe bit Kingston, providing a distraction that allowed Young to deliver an elbow to Kingston through the table for the victory.
Result
Sanity defeated New Day
Grade
C+
Analysis
The action was strong and the spots were impressive, but the sum of the parts was not necessarily up to the quality one would have expected from a match with this much talent involved.
In defense of the participants, it was a rushed match, the product of time constraints. Unfortunately, there were not enough minutes at the disposal of the competitors to deliver the match they could have under other conditions.
An OK way to introduce the idea of "extreme" to the audience, if nothing else.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Deleters of Worlds vs. The B-Team
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The war for tag team supremacy on Raw kicked off the main show portion of Sunday's show, as Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt—The Deleters of Worlds—defended against Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas, known collectively as The B-Team.
Hardy and Wyatt dominated the opening minutes, showing the WWE Universe why they were the Raw tag team champions. However, their control over the challengers came to a screeching halt as the heels isolated Hardy.
A hot tag to Wyatt led to The Eater of Worlds exploding into the match and taking the fight to real-life brother Dallas, complete with a uranage slam.
A miscommunication spot late in the match, though, led to Hardy crashing into Wyatt. Dallas took advantage of a momentarily stunned Hardy and planted him with a twisting neckbreaker to score the upset victory and titles.
Result
The B-Team defeated The Deleter of Worlds
Grade
C+
Analysis
The B-Team's redemption story culminated with a championship victory in the opening match of Extreme Rules that both stunned fans fully expecting the babyfaces to successfully defend the titles and kicked the show off with a noteworthy occurrence.
Axel and Dallas have been total pros for years, doing whatever the company has asked of them no matter how ridiculous, embarrassing or credibility-killing it may be. Their win, despite their status as heels, is a feel-good moment that proves even when it appears the company may take certain performers for granted, hard work and dedication can still pay off.
The match itself was unspectacular, but the moment more than made up for it.
Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
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Stephanie McMahon's personally appointed constable of Raw, Baron Corbin, sought to prove he is a bigger man both in size and stature Sunday night as he battled Finn Balor in a match weeks in the making.
A ruthless, ferocious Corbin used that size and strength to his advantage, manhandling his smaller opponent. He slammed the Irishman into the corner, unloaded with a series of clotheslines and trapped him in a submission as he tried to keep the faster and more agile Superstar grounded.
Balor's every attempt at a comeback was cut off by a focused and determined Corbin. A step-up enzuigiri had the Irishman rolling, but a chokeslam-backbreaker put him down. A two count, though, infuriated Corbin and led to him jaw-jacking with referee John Cone.
Frustrated, Corbin unloaded. Balor caught him with a Sling Blade, but he answered with the Deep Six for another near-fall as Balor's resolve became the topic of conversation for the commentary team.
Corbin thwarted an attempt at the Coup de Grace but fell prey to a small package rollup from Balor for the win.
Result
Balor defeated Corbin
Grade
B-
Analysis
Balor and Corbin looked like two guys who traveled the loops and worked each other in numerous matches while in NXT. The action was crisp—they seemingly knew what each other was going to do before they did it—and the result was a much better match than it probably should have been.
The story was solid, an arrogant Corbin overwhelming Balor with his size but not counting for the heart and tenacity of his opponent, who fought through the constable's onslaught and scored the upset win from out of nowhere.
Balor needed the win after months of losing high-profile bouts, while Corbin's on-screen association with McMahon will buy him some heat even in defeat.
The feud looks poised to continue, and given the lack of obvious challengers for either guy in the coming weeks and months, that may not be a bad thing—especially if McMahon makes her presence felt at some point down the road.
SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Asuka vs. Carmella
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With James Ellsworth suspended in a shark cage high above the squared circle, Asuka sought to right the wrong of a month ago as she challenged Carmella for the SmackDown Women's Championship in the first blue-brand match of the main card.
Ellsworth nearly affected the outcome from the get-go, dropping a steel chain from the shark cage to the mat below. Before the champion could use it, Asuka stomped on it. The official later removed it from the squared circle, ensuring the match would remain fair.
That is until Carmella retrieved a spray bottle introduced by Ellsworth. Again, Asuka thwarted the attempt at cheating and scored a near-fall.
Asuka trapped Carmella in the Asuka Lock, but the lanky champion was able to reach the rope and necessitate the break.
A suplex on the arena floor left the champion reeling while Ellsworth picked the lock of his cage. He escaped but soon found himself caught, hanging upside down from the structure. With nowhere to go, he was the victim of Asuka, who unloaded on him with a series of strikes.
With Asuka distracted by the spectacle that was Ellsworth, Carmella shoved her face-first into the shark cage and scored the pinfall victory.
Result
Carmella defeated Asuka
Grade
C-
Analysis
The match was awful. It is a contender for worst televised title match of the year.
The only thing salvaging it was the fact everything that played out made sense within the context of the story the performers told.
Ellsworth undeniably adds to the Carmella character, but at some point WWE Creative will have to confront the issue of the lovable loser overshadowing the women themselves and devaluing the title they are competing for.
That was the case here as the entire "match" revolved around Ellsworth escaping the cage and getting his ass kicked. The title bout was secondary, which is something that cannot happen at a time when the company is so invested in pushing the notion of a women's revolution.
United States Championship Match: Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
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Jeff Hardy has spent the duration of his United States Championship reign issuing open challenges, but Sunday night he attempted to defend his title against his greatest opposition to date, Shinsuke Nakamura.
Before the bell, Nakamura blasted Hardy with a low blow. As the champion recovered and the bell rang, The Artist exploded across the ring with the Kinshasa. Three seconds later, he was the new United States champion.
Before he could celebrate his victory, though, Randy Orton's "Voices" played, and The Viper made his way to the ring. A tense staredown with Nakamura gave way to a shocking low blow of his own to Hardy.
Boos rained down from the stands as The Viper casually exited the ring without explanation for his actions.
Result
Nakamura defeated Hardy
Grade
B
Analysis
This was all storyline development.
Nakamura winning the title was the right move, especially as the company seeks to maintain his heel momentum in the wake of his unsuccessful attempts to dethrone AJ Styles as WWE champion.
His low blow prior to the bell was the type of psychological brilliance that works for the character, while his win in mere seconds was such a great bit of heel booking.
The return of Orton and his subsequent turn was certainly welcome.
The third-generation star was last seen dropping the United States title match to Hardy at Backlash, so it makes sense he would assault the Superstar he has unfinished business with.
Hopefully the said turn represents a freshening up of a character who has been undeniably stale for the better part of three years.
Steel Cage Match: Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens
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Not at all interested in combating The Monster Among Men, Kevin Owens wasted little time seeking the sanctuary of the arena floor early in Sunday's steel cage match. His running only further infuriated Braun Strowman, who demanded The Prizefighter stand and fight him like a man.
Owens did, unloading with a cannonball and a frog splash. His flurry only netted a one-count before the former universal champion was again left to plead for mercy.
His pleas fell on deaf ears.
Strowman used his clubbing forearm to punish Owens and then sent him bouncing off the steel walls of the unforgiving structure.
Owens attempted to escape and was met with a door slammed right into his face by his unstoppable opposition. Recovering just long enough to pull out a pair of handcuffs, KO rendered his opponent unable to stop him. Strowman, though, answered with a single-arm chokeslam.
Owens, unfortunately, made the mistake of taunting Strowman. The beastly babyface broke free of the cuffs, met The Prizefighter on top of the cage and chokeslammed him all the way through the announce table and to the floor below.
The bell rang, Owens seemingly the victor, but he certainly did not look like a winner as medics checked on him. He was strapped to a backboard while Strowman mockingly announced him the winner of the match before departing, with a smile painted on his face.
Result
Owens defeated Strowman
Grade
A
Analysis
The storytelling here was phenomenal.
Owens took the fight to Strowman. When that did not work, he resorted to the cheap use of handcuffs. Overconfident, he wound up in the grasp of the most dangerous man in WWE and paid dearly for it.
He won, but Strowman got the last laugh.
Owens winning was necessary given the way the story unfolded in the weeks ahead of the show. Losing would have rendered him a total nerd. In this scenario, Strowman was protected, his strength and fury on full display as he sacrificed victory to punish the man whose life he has delighted in making a living hell.
Everything was executed perfectly, though that should be of no great surprise to fans who have followed the Superstars on their often ridiculous journey to Extreme Rules.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: Team Hell No vs. The Bludgeon Brothers
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With Kane's health in question following an earlier sneak attack by The Bludgeon Brothers, Daniel Bryan took to the squared circle to battle Harper and Rowan on his own, with his fortitude far greater than his sense.
Bryan took the fight to his much larger opponents and made a go of it, isolating the champions from each other before trapping Harper in the Yes! Lock. Rowan broke it up, though, and the heels seized control of the bout.
The champions targeted the previously affected ribs of their opponent. The heels controlled until Bryan created separation for himself.
Suddenly, Kane's music played and The Big Red Monster limped to the ring, his left leg in a walking boot. He exploded into the match, delivering a chokeslam to Rowan. A second to Harper was unsuccessful, so Bryan tagged himself back into the match and unloaded with a dropkick and a flurry of Yes! kicks.
The championship quest took an unfortunate turn as the numbers game and injuries proved too much for the challengers to overcome. Harper and Rowan finished off Bryan with a modified Doomsday Device to retain the titles.
Result
The Bludgeon Brothers defeated Team Hell No
Grade
C
Analysis
What a disappointing way to culminate Team Hell No's fun, unexpected reunion.
Yes, WWE Creative almost assuredly wants to build up The Bludgeon Brothers so that Team Hell No's victory ultimately means more, but now was the time to strike while the babyfaces were hot, and the company failed miserably.
Like most of Bryan's return to the ring to this point, this left more of a sour taste than creating excitement or anticipation for the next chapter in his quest to make it back to the top of the WWE mountain.
A major disappointment on a night that has been otherwise solid, if unspectacular.
Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley
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Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns sought to settle their personal and professional issues Sunday night in a match most thought would be the main event of the Extreme Rules pay-per-view but instead took place three matches from the top of the card.
Reigns dominated early, but Lashley fought through the onslaught and delivered a huge powerslam. A cross-body block leveled The Big Dog. The Dominator, uncharacteristically, scaled the ropes and delivered a big double ax handle that flattened the second-generation star.
Reigns powered out of a suplex attempt and tossed Lashley over the top rope.
Lashley caught a charging Reigns with a spinebuster and followed up with his impressive, powerful vertical suplex for an extremely close near-fall. Lashley charged at Reigns, who blasted him with a Superman Punch for a two-count of his own.
Reigns charged at Lashley on the floor, seeking his spear through the timekeeper's position, but the latter countered and delivered a belly-to-belly overhead suplex.
Back in the ring, Reigns delivered a Superman Punch, but Lashley intercepted Reigns with a spear of his own to pick up the victory.
Result
Lashley defeated Reigns
Grade
B+
Analysis
What started slow developed into a really strong battle of the big men.
Lashley going over was a necessary move in that he needed to announce to today's fans that he is a big deal. Not everyone was around when he beat Umaga in the real main event of WrestleMania 23. Not everyone remembers when he was tapped to be the next big thing in WWE. He was gone for so long that his connection with fans dissipated quicker than a Marvel hero at the snap of Thanos' fingers.
Beating the top star in the industry is a great a way to establish legitimacy and set up a competitor for a championship push.
Reigns loses nothing in defeat. He is as bulletproof as there is on the WWE roster, and losing matches such as this is the perfect example of him using his star to help elevate others. It is exactly what fans have wanted out of a top star for years.
Something tells me that will not be taken into account the next time fans state their anti-Reigns cases, though.
Raw Women's Championship Street Fight: Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss
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The rivalry between Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss continued Sunday as they battled for the Raw Women's Championship in a Street Fight.
Mickie James accompanied Bliss to the ring, while Natalya seconded Jax. All the while, Ronda Rousey watched from the front row, a paying customer as she continued to serve her 30-day suspension.
As predicted, Jax pummeled Bliss, utilizing kendo sticks and trash cans to dish punishment to the champion. Rousey watched with delight as The Irresistible Force obliterated the heel, avenging her Money in the Bank cash-in from a few weeks back.
Jax overwhelmed Bliss until the champion dodged a charge into the rope that ended with the challenger ramming her shoulder into a steel chair. At ringside, Natalya attacked James, using a trash-can lid on the former six-time champion.
As the heel turned the tide, Rousey jumped the guardrail and beat the ever-loving hell out of James, sending her over the announce table.
Bliss attempted to run away from Rousey but found herself in the grip of the most dangerous woman in wrestling. James recovered and blasted the former UFC star with a kendo stick, though, leveling her.
A steel chair assault in the ring by both James and Bliss left Jax prone to a DDT by the champion, who retained her title.
After the match, Rousey hit the ring, but the champion and her accomplice escaped up the ramp.
Result
Bliss defeated Jax
Grade
A-
Analysis
The match itself was ugly and disjointed at times but did just enough to give fans what they wanted in Jax pummeling Bliss.
But this was not about Jax and Bliss having a great match. This was about Rousey jumping the guardrail, teasing getting her hands on Bliss and setting up their inevitable one-on-one showdown for the Raw Women's Championship. Taking that into consideration, a total success is the only thing to classify this as.
The crowd's reaction to Rousey sprinting around the ring to catch up to Bliss prior to the finish was indicative of just how eager it is to see the UFC Hall of Famer kick Little Miss Bliss' ass. When that time comes, the moment will trump any criticisms over match quality.
WWE Championship Match: AJ Styles vs. Rusev
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In 2014, Rusev debuted in Pittsburgh at WWE's Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Four years later, he returned to the Steel City for his first WWE Championship opportunity as he challenged AJ Styles for the top prize on SmackDown Live.
Dueling chants of "AJ Styles" and "Rusev Day" spilled from the arena as the competitors locked up.
Styles, seeking to take the trunk of his opponent out from underneath him, targeted the left thigh of The Bulgarian Brute. In turn, Rusev set the stage for his vaunted Accolade finisher by softening up the champion's back and neck.
Fighting through the pain, Styles launched himself over the top rope and delivered a forearm to the floor. He unloaded with a series of strikes and followed with a clothesline that left the challenger reeling. Attempting to take advantage of Rusev's injured leg, he tried for the Calf Crusher, but his opponent countered and sent him to the floor.
Rusev teased a suicide dive, but Styles blasted him with a forearm. The Phenomenal One tried for the 450 splash but rolled through. He tried for the Calf Crusher again, but Rusev countered, nearly applying the Accolade. Styles escaped and tried another forearm, but The Bulgarian Brute caught him with a kick in midair.
Styles applied the Calf Crusher finally and had Rusev moments away from tapping out as the pain became unbearable. From the arena floor, Aiden English pushed the ropes toward him, assisting his friend and partner in breaking the hold.
Styles turned his attention to English and paid for it, enduring a belly-to-belly suplex on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Rusev blasted Styles with the Machka Kick and scored a close near-fall but could not win the title.
Another near-fall followed before Rusev attempted to apply the Accolade. His knee gave out on him, though, giving Styles a moment to recover. Applying a half-assed Accolade, The Super Athlete could smell championship gold. Styles made the ropes, though, necessitating the break.
English removed the turnbuckle on the top rope, a move that would backfire moments later when Rusev ran head-first into it. A springboard 450 splash by Styles scored a near-fall of his own, which prompted another loud "Rusev Day" chant.
The Bulgarian's dreams of a title ended moments later with a Phenomenal Forearm as Styles retained his title in another show-stealing performance.
Result
Styles defeated Rusev
Grade
A
Analysis
What. A. Match.
Styles and Rusev took a sleepy Pittsburgh crowd and had it buying into the late-match near-falls. That is a testament to the storytelling, the high spots and the talent of the performers.
The psychology involved, including the Superstars selling their injuries to the point that they could not execute their trademark offense, was superb. Perhaps nothing left a greater impact, though, than the frustration demonstrated by Styles.
His inability to put away Rusev led to him lashing out at the official more than we typically see from him, while Rusev's gutsy performance only enhanced the love and support for the challenger.
Rusev's performance elevated his star and made him a much more sympathetic and popular competitor than he was entering the match. It bears watching if English's late-match mistake will necessitate the breakup of him and Rusev in the weeks to come.
Iron Man Match for the Intercontinental Title: Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler
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For the first time since SummerSlam 1992, the Intercontinental Championship was up for grabs in a singles main event of a WWE pay-per-view, as Dolph Ziggler defended against Seth Rollins in a 30-minute Iron Man match.
Rollins scored the first fall 4:35 into the match when he followed up a buckle bomb with a roll-up that pinned Ziggler's shoulders to the mat.
The Architect took a 2-0 lead after seven-plus minutes, delivering his stomp finisher to pin The Showoff and put the champion in a significant hole.
Just as Rollins was tuning up the band, McIntyre entered and unloaded on him, drawing a disqualification and handing him a 3-0 lead.
The Scot assaulted Rollins, leaving him lying in a battered heap. McIntyre was sent packing by the referee but not before destroying The Architect with the Claymore Kick.
Ziggler followed up the beatdown with a pinfall, earning his first fall of the match.
A superkick allowed Ziggler to move within a fall, the scoreboard sitting at 3-2. The Zig Zag earned Ziggler his third fall in less than two minutes, as the score evened.
Ziggler gained his first lead of the match, catching a charging Rollins with a hard right hand and rolling him up, his feet on the ropes, for the win. Score 4-3 for the champion.
The pace of the match slowed as Ziggler worked a sleeper hold, keeping the challenger grounded and unable to score a quick fall to tie the score. Rollins would recover and take the fight to Ziggler, desperately attempting to even the score. Ziggler, showing resilience not typically reserved for lead heels in WWE, was able to fend off the challenge of The Architect.
With under four minutes to go, Rollins found himself down a fall. After surviving a cradle attempt, he delivered a slingshot into the corner and pinned Ziggler off a sunset flip to tie the score at four falls apiece with 2:30 left.
With just over two minutes left, Rollins applied the Sharpshooter. Ziggler fought through the pain. Rollins applied a cross-face but Ziggler, again, resisted the urge to tap out. A frustrated Rollins tried for the stomp, but Ziggler rolled out of the ring. Back inside, the champion delivered a last-gasp Fameasser for a near-fall.
Time ticked off the clock as the commentary team asked if we were heading to a tie.
Rollins delivered his stomp finisher but time ran out on the challenger as the commentators teased heartbreak for the challenger. Just as it appeared as though Ziggler would retain his title via tie, Kurt Angle appeared and demanded the match head to sudden death overtime.
McIntyre appeared from out of nowhere, provided the distraction and allowed Ziggler to score the win in the restarted match.
Result
Ziggler defeated Rollins, 5-4
Grade
B
Analysis
The pacing of this one was all over the place, with the competitors showing exhaustion way too early and then sprinting through high spots and near-falls late as if they had suddenly guzzled three large cans of the awful Mountain Dew Kickstart shilled during the Kickoff Show.
Add to that a crowd that was intolerable as the fans in attendance took it upon themselves to mock the clock, thus stealing the attention from the Superstars and placing it on themselves, and you have issues that definitely kept the match from achieving a higher grade.
With that said, this was set up to infuriate fans and create heat for Ziggler and McIntyre. While the true effectiveness of it will be seen Monday night on Raw, it is difficult to argue that it did not accomplish that, particularly in the closing seconds.
Ziggler and McIntyre are an act gaining steam and getting stronger with every passing week. Spotlighting them in the main event of this pay-per-view is as great a sign as any that WWE is behind them. That should mean big things for both Ziggler and McIntyre in the weeks and months to come.
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