WWE Extreme Rules 2011 Results: The Old Overshadows the New

There was plenty to learn from Sunday night's Extreme Rules event in Tampa.

We learned the payoff matches still go to the established names. We learned Kharma is a bitch. We learned Sheamus may be heading down a bad road. And we learned that even the mighty Vince McMahon can change his mind about a superstar's potential.

Randy Orton d. CM Punk

Randy Orton had his unofficial goodbye from the Raw brand by once again overcoming all odds to defeat CM Punk, this time in a Last Man Standing Match.

The rumors are flying about CM Punk's future with WWE. If he does, in fact, leave the company when his contract expires later this year, it would be hard to blame Punk. Reports have Punk upset with his place in the company, and another loss in a payoff match likely isn't helping matters.

Orton, on the other hand, is well on his way to becoming the company's second version of John Cena. Orton doesn't lose cleanly anymore, and it's hard to imagine too many scenarios in which anyone on SmackDown will be able to go toe-to-toe with The Viper.

Kofi Kingston d. Sheamus (c) for the United States Championship

A match that wasn't announced on the card was over before we could blink. And in that time, Kofi Kingston became the United States Champion for the second time in his career.

The loss continues a slide for Sheamus, who will hopefully see a career rejuvenation on Friday nights. For the immediate future, it appears we will see The Celtic Warrior battle with Kingston for SmackDown's secondary championship.

Is that really the place Sheamus should be, though? With his move to Friday nights, Sheamus is one of the few full-time wrestlers on Friday nights who have significant main-event experience.

Maybe this will elevate Sheamus and Kofi Kingston to the main event level. Or maybe we'll just see a pair of capable stars toil away in the mid card.

Michael Cole & Jack Swagger d. Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler

The payoff we expected Sunday night never came. It still appears this feud will continue, even more now that Jack Swagger is officially a member of the Raw roster.

The match was bowling show ugly, as Jim Ross used to say. It was another iteration of a match that two men competing didn't have any business doing so.

Cole has an immense amount of heat on him, and maybe creative is riding the wave until it fizzles out. There really is no telling how long that will be.

Rey Mysterio d. Cody Rhodes

WWE had a perfect opportunity to give Cody Rhodes the rub as Rey Mysterio switched to Raw. Instead, they gave Mysterio the payoff.

If WWE is really set on handing the future of the company to the young superstars, tonight was an opportunity wasted. Mysterio isn't far from hanging up his wrestling boots for good, and Rhodes could have benefited immensely from walking away with a win in Tampa.

Instead, the old defeated the new. Mysterio now goes to Monday nights with the win, and really nowhere to go with it. Rhodes heads back to SmackDown, a loser in the payoff match with Mysterio. Rhodes could have taken the momentum a victory would have provided into his next program, but instead, it's back to ground zero for the Dashing One.

Layla d. Michelle McCool

If you read the Internet dirt sheets, you already knew how this one would end. In what should be no surprise to anyone, Layla got the rub Sunday night, as Michelle McCool will leave WWE...albeit temporarily.

Layla is now set for a face turn, and could become one of Friday night's top divas. But this short match was just as much about the split of LayCool as it was about the debut of Kharma.

As McCool was about to be sent off by the WWE Universe, Kharma's music hit, and the former Awesome Kong made her official WWE debut by decimating the former Divas champion.

The Divas division has certainly been put on notice.

Christian d. Alberto Del Rio for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship

The majority of the Internet Wrestling Community rejoiced Sunday night. After years of bumping into the proverbial glass ceiling, Christian shattered that barrier to finally become World Heavyweight Champion.

It was a feel-good moment for the WWE Universe, who got to see Edge one final time. This time, it was Edge causing the necessary distraction to see Christian ascend the ladder to the vacant title. The long-time friends celebrated in the ring after the match.

The match itself was certainly entertaining. Del Rio proved his worth in one of the most demanding matches in WWE, likely cementing his place atop the main event picture on Monday nights.

Christian's dues finally paid off, as Captain Charisma became the fifth man in pro wrestling history to hold a world title in both WWE and TNA.

The future is bright, but uncertain, for Christian. Captain Charisma is one of the few established stars on Friday nights, but the list of potential opponents is very short. Sheamus comes to mind, but he appears to be mired in a mid-card feud with Kofi Kingston. Will it be Cody Rhodes? Wade Barrett?

Kane & Big Show (c) d. The Corre for the WWE Tag Team Championships

It is no longer a matter of if The Corre will be breaking up in the near future. It's only a matter of when.

Not only was more tension teased between Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson, but the group was once again squashed. This time, it was at the hands of two of WWE's giants, Kane and Big Show.

The focus remains on the future of The Corre. Will we be seeing a Barrett-Jackson feud going forward? What will happen to Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater?

It's surely going to be an interesting spring on SmackDown.

John Cena d. The Miz (c) and John Morrison for the WWE Championship

This one wasn't hard to predict. R-Truth became involved, taking John Morrison out of the equation. John Cena used his "superhuman" strength to pull off some enormous feat to conquer The Miz and once again become WWE Champion.

Most of us knew it wouldn't be long before The Miz's inaugural title reign came to an end, and we also knew it would likely be Cena who would end it.

The important thing, however, is that WWE is very careful with the direction The Miz goes from here. We've seen what happened to Sheamus and Jack Swagger after their first world title reigns, and one misstep could send The Miz down the same road.

It won't be long before we see a new competitor become the proverbial thorn in John Cena's side. Recent reports have John Cena defending the WWE Championship against Alberto Del Rio at SummerSlam. We all know WWE plans can change in an instant, but it makes perfect sense to see Del Rio remain in the world title picture upon his move to Raw.