WWE Extreme Rules: 5 shockers & surprises from the event

WWE planned to deliver a few punches through Extreme Rules and they were successful in doing so for the most part. On a card which was loaded with a lot of matches and some of the biggest names in wrestling, the creatives did reasonably well to satisfy the fans and the crowd in attendance.

However, the show came with its fair share of shockers and surprises which kept the storylines and the superstars involved on their toes.

From Brock Lesnar cashing in, to Bayley getting another major win on a pay-per-view, there were many things which kept fans interested in the event and left a lot of things to be desired at the same time.

In this article, we will look at the 5 biggest shocking moments and bookings from the show, and what they could mean going forward.

---

#5 The Monsters Among Men

When the Last Man Standing match between Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley began on Sunday night, there was only one Monster Among Men in WWE. However, after the conclusion of the match, there is no reason not to believe that Bobby Lashley is an equally good monster as Strowman.

Lashley put on a superior performance as compared to the ones he’s put up over the last year clearly showing that he has evolved as a wrestler and is getting back on track.

During the clash, it was obvious that Lashley was the superior and more experienced performer. He showcased his power, athleticism, and aggression during the bout and never let his control slip throughout the match. While Strowman got the big spots and the victory to wrap up the night, Lashley ensured that Strowman got his moment but taking huge bumps and ultimately giving fans arguably the most fun match of the night.

One can expect Lashley to get a push coming out of the event even after a loss as he showed that he is ready to get into more technical matches now than he was before.

See WWE Extreme Rules Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Extreme Rules Results page

#4 The Best in the World & The Phenom

The No Holds Barred match marked the return of The Undertaker as he teamed up with Roman Reigns to take on Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.

While the story circled around The Big Dog, Shane McMahon, Drew McIntyre for some time with Elias being thrown in the mix, The Undertaker was a late inclusion which led to the match being set up.

The Deadman displayed an improved performance as compared to his match with Goldberg and was the highlight of the match throughout even though he took many major bumps.

What was surprising was that WWE gave him the opportunity to end the match and pin Shane McMahon in a rivalry which was primarily between Reigns and McMahon along with McIntyre.

Even though Reigns was instrumental in the victory, he should have been given the opportunity to pin Shane McMahon in order to end the rivalry for good and also avenge his loss to The Best in the World.

#3 Finn Balor vs Shinsuke Nakamura

On the kick-off show of Extreme Rules, we got a match that had the potential to be a co-headliner. Two of the most well-known superstars in the industry around the globe took to the squared circle in front of a half-empty arena.

WWE surprised fans around the globe by not just announcing this match last minute, but putting it on the kick-off where a non-title match or even the Raw Tag Team match would have done better.

The story here was of Nakamura’s return, and the two men in the ring did perfectly well to tell it to perfection. The match between them was nothing less than A-grade, and with the Intercontinental Championship on the line, things were even more heated up.

Nakamura was more focused than ever, while Balor sought revenge, and the match could have done perfectly well on the main card. Being on the kick-off meant that the superstars had a smaller crowd behind them, even though they have one of the biggest following around the world, and made the match seem less impressive than it actually was.

#2 Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross’ clean loss

When we speak of a 2-on-1 handicap match involving two heels and a babyface, we expect something different to go down the line. Add a championship in the mix, and things can get even crazier if the story is told right.

Surprisingly, there were no mix-ups, no interferences, no distractions, and not much unfairness. Instead, Bayley got a clean pinfall win over Nikki Cross, who seemed to be en route a major singles push coming out of WWE Extreme Rules.

This was a disappointingly basic handicap match that really did nothing to advance the ongoing storyline between Bliss and Cross.

Fans were expecting either Sasha Banks to show up, or Alexa taking the pin in order to break Cross and Bliss’ team and give Cross a chance at the title individually.

With Cross taking the pin, and Alexa already losing to Bayley earlier, it seems like both women are out of the title picture as Bayley has now beaten both women convincingly.

#1 Brock’s cash-in

Paul Heyman’s “spoiler” was no joke, as Seth Rollins paid dearly for not keeping his focus on The Beast during his match with Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans.

While many fans were expecting Brock to show up, with some even believing that he will cash in at Extreme Rules, others were expecting that WWE would let the rivalry between Seth Rollins and Baron Corbin end for good before moving on.

Not only was Brock’s cash-in after such an extreme match surprising, but the fact that WWE made the match Corbin’s final chance to win the championship odd too. While it was Corbin’s last chance to beat Seth Rollins for the title, Rollins lost the title a few seconds later making the entire point of the match’s stipulations illogical.

With many options for challengers for the Universal Championship after Seth Rollins’ defense against Corbin lined up, it was surprising that Rollins was immediately riped off the championship.