Extreme Rules is right around the corner and once again, we’re all set to watch some matches that WWE would like us to believe are ECW levels of extreme. Of course, there’s every chance that some of the bouts could provide us with some entertaining moments, but the definition of ‘extreme’ wrestling has been heavily diluted over the last decade or so.
Sure, kendo stick on a pole matches are all well and good, but sometimes you need to stick to what you know in order to succeed. That may require a degree of repetition, but if you want to orchestrate a solid match that warrants the title of the pay-per-view then it has to be done. Plus, and we realise how childish this sounds, the violence is awesome.
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Whilst there’s a certain amount of inconsistency when it comes to the quality of the match build ups this year, some of these stipulations will automatically make things feel more personal. Of course, making a short term rivalry seem deep and meaningful can be considered challenging, which is why we’d be relying on the facial expressions of the performers to really drive the point home.
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With that being said, here are five stipulations we’d rather see at Extreme Rules.
#1 Extreme TLC
We know what you’re thinking – how can TLC be any more extreme than it already is? Simple: throw in some thumb tacks, trash cans, and just about anything you can find that helps to ramp up the intensity of the bout. Tables, Ladders & Chairs has consistently been one of WWE’s most entertaining gimmick matches for years now, and it needs to stay that way.
It’s got a spin-off PPV dedicated to it, but that belongs to SmackDown Live and we deserve to see The Hardy Boyz in one final TLC contest as a team.
Their feud with Sheamus & Cesaro certainly warrants it at this point given their recent heel turn, and in this match, you’d have four competitors who would do whatever it takes to put on an entertaining show.
#2 2-out-of-3 Falls
Orchestrating a great 2 out of 3 falls match can be considered tricky for some, but over the years we’ve seen some great examples of how to make it work perfectly. For example, in recent times we’ve seen The Usos vs The Wyatt Family and Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus steal the show on their respective pay-per-views with this match type.
Something like this would be a great way to end a long term rivalry, and one day we’d really like to see Brock Lesnar be involved in one of these.
Just picture it: The Beast dismantles someone and easily grabs the first fall before his valiant competitor fights back and somehow grabs a fluke win (potentially by DQ) to set up a dramatic final fall.
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#3 Ironman
Ironman matches truly are great to watch, because you just know that as the time ticks away, the drama is going to ramp up in a big way. Given the amount of independent stars on the main roster who are used to going beyond 30 minutes with relative ease, there are several contenders who could be considered viable options for this type of bout.
The problem would be the time, since it would probably take up 1 hour and 20 minutes including entrances, but if need be, you can always cut the time down to 45 minutes or 30, if it’s the female version. Even so, imagine if one of the matches were to have an iron man stipulation!
Ironman matches are so rare in the present day that casual fans would genuinely purchase the WWE Network just to see what happens. Fact.
#4 Tables
In what can only be described as a spin-off to TLC, tables matches are extremely tense given how unbelievably high the stakes usually are. Whether it’s to blow off a big feud or to decide who will be the World Champion, knowing that someone is just one mistake away from losing it all makes for incredibly tense viewing.
Something like this would’ve been great for Bliss vs Bayley 2, as the champion could’ve bigged up the fact that she defeated Becky Lynch in the same match type to win her first ever SmackDown Women’s Championship.
It usually makes more sense for the heel to win these matches, but it’d be just as satisfying to see a bad guy crumble in this manner.
#5 Last Man Standing
The Last Man Standing stipulation has received a great deal of criticism over the years, which is probably why the company doesn’t feature it all too often these days. Despite this, it’s actually quite an effective way to establish a dominant character when you consider how much both competitors usually have to go through in order to win.
The nervy moment of not knowing whether someone is going to get up at the count of nine makes for some great television, and it’s one of the only real stipulations that makes WWE feel a tad more realistic.
Some people almost certainly won’t agree with that sentiment, but just go back and watch some of these.
