WWE Extreme Rules 2011 Primer: Cena-Miz-Morrison, New World Champion Guaranteed

WWE Extreme Rules emanates from Tampa, Fla., and is certainly a pay-per-view of historic proportions.  The first pay-per-view since WrestleMania 27 will feature a World Heavyweight Championship match that is presumably guaranteed to crown a first-time World Champion. 

This type of scenario has been unseen in WWE since the main event of WrestleMania IV.  At that historic pay-per-view, Randy Savage squared off against "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase in the finals of the WWE Championship tournament that lasted for the entire card. 

With events of the recent WWE draft creating a polarizing discussion as to who will go over in the World Championship match, sudden intrigue has been infused into this pay-per-view that a pre-determined gimmick could only dream of creating.  

On the A-Side of things, John Cena will get back into the ring against Miz, with John Morrison playing the role of spoiler.  Should Morrison make it to the ring without getting jumped by R-Truth, he will figure to make a lasting impression by performing a neat stunt off of the cage. 

Themes to watch 

R-Truth.  R-Truth's heel turn has been given a lot of time on WWE's flagship show RAW, and has been a ratings winner in its embryonic phase. 

With Truth not booked on the card as a result of losing his spot to John Morrison, look for R-Truth to get involved in the main event in some form. 

Truth's involvement should continue what should be a lengthy mid-card feud between him and Morrison. 

The Rock.  As odd as it sounds, WWE Extreme Rules is somewhat of a go-home show for the Rock's big birthday celebration to take place the following night on RAW in Miami, Fla. 

Look for both Cena and Miz to take measurable jabs at the Rock prior to their WWE Championship match, as WWE will look to remind its dwindling pay-per-view audience of the birthday boy's return to RAW. 

Blow offs.  With every match being contested under extreme rules where there must be a winner, and with most matches stemming from WrestleMania feuds, an air of finality resides with the 2011 Extreme Rules Card. 

LayCool's loser leaves WWE (for a month) is a shining example of how most of these matches, if not all, will be the final chapters in a series of high-profile feuds.  

Crowd Fatigue.  With every match handcuffed to a stipulation, WWE will be running the risk of burning out the Tampa crowd on gimmicks.  One can only take so much limited hardcore action.  I got blown up just writing about it. 

Predictions

Country Whippin' Match:  Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross over Michael Cole and Jack Swagger.  Michael Cole's brilliance is that he embodies the unteachable talent of inciting lucrative hatred from fans, with lucrative hatred meaning people want to pay to see him get his. 

If WWE bilks on Michael Cole pay-per-view comeuppance once again, his "hate me" stock will certainly decline as there is no interest in seeing Cole do anything positive on a pay-per-view. 

With a historic World Championship match to follow this special attraction match, WWE will likely prefer to have Jim Ross make the timeless call as a new major champion is crowned.

Ross' temporary return to a headset would only coincide with Cole and Swagger taking the brunt end of a "Country Whippin" and/or a loss. 

Last Man Standing:  CM Punk over Randy Orton.  It'll benefit Randy Orton to remain strong as SmackDown's newest top babyface, however WWE may have even bigger concerns with reports surfacing of CM Punk's possible departure from the company. 

CM Punk will enter a heel-heavy RAW come May 3, and it would hurt his character to take another loss from Randy Orton in what should be their final battle.  This match could very well end up in a draw, as two of WWE's biggest stars look to move forward on different brands. 

Falls Count Anywhere:  Cody Rhodes over Rey Mysterio.  Of all the young stars WWE has thrown at the wall in a hit-or-miss youth movement, Cody Rhodes is one of the few who has stuck. 

Rhodes seems to be on his way to main event status well before the end of the year, and another win over the veteran Rey Mysterio Jr. will go a long way in cementing Rhodes as SmackDown's top heel. 

Loser Leaves SmackDown WWE:  Layla El over Michelle McCool.  Maybe this is WWE's way of getting Michelle McCool off TV so she can spend some quality time with her husband the Undertaker, who is still ailing from injuries that were amplified after his highly physical WrestleMania match. 

Layla has real potential as a babyface, but I can't help but feel she would be better served on RAW.  Michelle McCool has garnered most of the heat going into the LayCool showdown at Extreme Rules, and all signs point to Layla getting her revenge on the lesser of the LayCool evil. 

WWE Championship Triple Threat Steel Cage Match: The Miz (c) over John Cena and John Morrison.  One new champion is already guaranteed to be crowned, so WWE may be content with holding serve in this match to extend the Miz's long title reign. 

Despite his immense star power, I still can't help but feel like Miz needs the WWE Championship in order to preserve his status as a top guy, especially since he didn't do himself any favors in his WrestleMania main event match against Cena. 

In order to keep both WWE's top stars strong, I can easily see a scenario where Cena pins Morrison just as Miz is escaping the cage.

World Championship Ladder Match:  Christian over Alberto Del Rio.  Positioning is everything in this match as my prediction is contingent of when Christian vs. Del Rio goes on. 

As I have stated before, Christian would presumably be a lock to win the World Championship if this match goes on last, so the fans can home happy. 

It's only fitting that Christian, in a ladder match, on the heels of Edge's retirement, wins his first World Championship in WWE.

When one considers the fact that having two World Champions on RAW would unnecessarily complicate things, a Christian loss could be considered one of the biggest teases in WWE history. 

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