WWE Extreme Rules 2021 Review: Extreme Matches Under Normal Stipulations
The 2021 version of Extreme Rules has wrapped up for World Wrestling Entertainment, and while the card presented only one actual Extreme Rules match, for a Pay-Per-View (PPV) with little to no hype, the superstars of RAW and SmackDown delivered a hell of an evening!
God is a Fan of the “Tribal Chief”
The main event of the evening featured Roman Reigns — alongside his “Special Counsel”, Paul Heyman, — defending his Universal Championship in an Extreme Rules match against the “Demon” Finn Balor. Going into the matchup, Reigns had been champion for 391 days and looked unstoppable, taking out multiple WWE Hall of Famers during his reign. Balor meanwhile, had to resort to his “Demon” gimmick (in which he is undefeated) because he got screwed out of the championship on the Sept. 3 SmackDown by Reigns’ cousins the Usos.
These two beat one another to death with kendo sticks, chairs and anything else you can find under a WWE squared circle. The “Demon” brought his own kendo stick to the party while Reigns refused to let the Columbus, OH crowd see a table spot.
They battled all over the arena and into the crowd. When they made their way into the WWE Universe, Reigns asked Heyman to give him a mask because he didn’t want to breathe the air of the people in Columbus! I thought that was a beautiful touch!
They battled all the way to the Kickoff Show set where Balor would plant Reigns through a table with a cross body off the Kickoff Show set. They made their way back to the ring, and Reigns would plant Balor with a Uranage through a table that Balor had introduced.
We get to the climax of the match, and as Balor was going for a dropkick in the corner after hitting a Slingblade, Reigns would nail the “Demon” with a Spear. Balor looked out, but at 2.9, he kicked out and punched Reigns in the nuts with the follow through, just as the “Head of the Table” did to him four weeks prior during their first bout. This would allow Balor to once again hit a Slingblade on the champion and a kick in the corner, setting up the Coup De Grace.
Balor would hit the stomp from the top, and as it looked like we were going to crown a new top dog on SmackDown, the Usos — fresh off their successfully Tag Team Title defense against the Street Profits earlier in the night — saved the day, dragging Balor our of the ring and sending him into the steps. However, Balor fought back, throwing Jimmy into the barricade and hitting Jey with a Slingblide. But, the Usos distraction was long enough for Reigns to recover, allowing him to Spear the “Demon” through the barricade.
The crowd was chanting how awesome this match was, and everybody was up on their feet. Pat McAfee was jumping up and down at ringside as everybody laid motionless on the floor.
All of a sudden, the lights turned red, and the “Demon” started convulsing like he was having a seizure. Eventually, the “Demon” rose, and he had a new heartbeat. With the lights in the arena still surrounded in “Demon Red”, Balor took out Reigns with a steel chair and dropkicked him through a table on the outside. He rolled him back in the ring, climbed up to the top rope and attempted another Coup De Grace. However, as Balor was about to jump, the ring rope COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED, and Balor CRASHED down to the mat, injuring his knee. Nobody could see what happened as the arena lights turned back to normal. Balor slowly rised to his feet, but the ring malfunction allowed Reigns to Spear Balor for the one, two, three.
So, for a match that we all pretty much knew the ending to, this was A… MAZ… ING! In my Preview and Predictions article, I predicted at some point I was going to believe Balor was walking out champion, and I did when he was on the top rope, attempting the second Coup De Grace before the ring rope COMPLETELY BROKE OFF!
McAfee and Michael Cole were selling the rope spot as if God helped save the “Tribal Chief” as him, Heyman and the Usos celebrated to end the show, but I personally think Heyman did it to save his client, and we are going to see that reveal this Friday on SmackDown. Either way, Reigns vs Lesnar II in Saudi Arabia is set for Oct, 21 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and I can not wait! All credit to Balor, who put on a phenomenal fight, and the finish was a great way to protect the “Demon”, but Lesnar-Reigns II is what we’ve all been waiting for since Aug. 21 in Vegas.
Sasha Banks Costs Bianca Beliar the SmackDown Women’s Championship
I nailed this prediction ever since Banks did not return and interrupt the contract signing between Becky Lynch and Bianca Beliar in Madison Square Garden on the Sept. 10 SmackDown.
For her first match back, Lynch looked ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! She looked like she hadn’t missed a beat, and Beliar looked like a STAR as well! The crowd was split 50/50, and these two women put on a masterpiece in storytelling!
It started when Beliar immediately went for the Kiss of Death and tried to put “Big Time Becks” away in 26 seconds just like Lynch did to her in Vegas. Then, these two women executed counter after counter and went back and forth for nearly 20 minutes. The crowd was LOUD and HOT the WHOLE match, chanting, “Let’s Go Becky” and “EST”, and Cole and McAfee acknowledged how loud the Nationwide Arena was. There was a spot where Beliar delivered a fall-away supplex to the champion, and the “Man” kicked out at 2 ⅞, and McAfee said, “WHAT IS THAT COLE?! FRACTIONS?! I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT THOSE, BUT WHAT A MATCH (This guy just GETS IT!)!”
The ending came when Beliar — for the third time — blocked Lynchs’ attempt at a Disarmher, and the “EST” lifted Lynch up from the Disarmher into the KOD. Just as Beliar was about to hit her finisher on “Big Time Becks” and win back the gold, Sasha Banks ran down to the ring and attacked Beliar. After giving her a few right hands, Banks set Beliar in the corner and drove her knee into her face.
Coming to, Lynch gave Banks a thumbs up for approval, but Banks wasn’t having none of it. She took down the champ and started wailing on her. The “EST” rose back up to her feet and tried getting on top of Banks, but Banks delivered a Backstabber to both women and held up the championship as she left the ring.
Yes, we are getting the triple threat bout I have wished for! The question is when, and to me, that all depends on if Beliar gets drafted over to Monday nights, which she might. If that’s the case, the match could go down either this Friday on SmackDown, next Monday on RAW or at Crown Jewel. If the “EST” remains a blue brand superstar, they can push this triple threat out to just before Survivor Series, and I wouldn’t mind.
Charlotte Flair Murders a Doll on Live Television
Alexa Bliss got a nice pop in her hometown, but it didn’t matter much as Charlotte Flair retained her RAW Women’s Championship via Natural Selection. The ending came when Flair, who was in control of the match, grabbed Lily and was about to tear the head off the doll, but Bliss stopped her. However, her angier cost her as she got two overzealous and allowed the “Queen” to hit her finishing maneuver for the win.
Following her successful title defense, Flair kicked Bliss out of the ring, tossed her over the announce desk and TORE LILY TO PIECES! Yep, that’s right: SHE MURDERED A DOLL ON LIVE TELEVISION!
She held up her title and the remains of Lily’s face as she left the ring, but the real story is what happened afterwards.
Coming to after being thrown over the heads of Corey Graves, Jimmy Smith and Byron Saxton, Bliss saw Lily dead in the ring and had a meltdown on top of the table. She tore her hair out (She started to look like the “Goddess” again), then got in the ring and cried. She picked up Lily’s stuffing as the crowd chanted, “Thank you Lily”. After a few minutes, Bliss got out of the ring, but she sat on the entrance ramp and bawled her eyes out some more.
“Goddess” Bliss is coming back, and I am so happy! She needs a new, fresh start on SmackDown, just like Flair needs new, fresh talent to work with on RAW. And… it’s perfect timing for the switch because the draft is only a few days away!
The Usos Survive Against the Street Profits
Survive is the only adjective I could use here because the Usos barely survived against Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins. This match ruled! Multiple false-finishes and a great way to end the feud between these two teams.
Dawkins would hit Jimmy with a Swinging Neckbreaker, but Jimmy barely kicked out. Jimmy hit a splash on Dawkins, but Ford saved the day. Ford climbed to the top rope and did a sweet front-flip, Swanton on the Usos and got the legal Uso (Jimmy) back in the ring. A From the Heavens Splash however did not connect. Jimmy got his knees up, but Ford was able to kick out, even with his damaged ribs — which were targeted throughout the matchup (The Usos even ripped the tape off of Ford, and McAfee was quick to point out that every shot Ford was going to take was going to be even more painful).
Eventually, Dawkins was taken out, and the Usos would hit a double splash on Beliar’s husband to retain their titles in an ABSOLUTE CLASSIC! The damage Ford and Dawkins suffered was so significant they couldn’t help Balor during the main event, as mentioned above. It looks like the Usos may be moving on to a feud with the Alpha Academy as it was teased on SmackDown, and the Street Profits may be on their way to a new brand.
Damian Priest Retains his U.S. Title
My prediction for this match was also spot on. I thought Priest would pin Sheamus to retain the title, but all three men would look good in a fantastic match, and that’s exactly what happened.
Columbus was really behind Hardy, and they cheered for him the entire match. He had chances to win but so did the “Celtic Warrior” and the “Archer of Infamy”. Priest would cover Sheamus after a Reckoning, but Hardy would hit a Swanton, but he couldn’t get to the cover. Sheamus knee’ed Priest in the face, and Hardy tossed Sheamus out of the ring and covered the champ, but Priest just barely squeaked out his shoulder. After a few roll ups between both challengers, Sheamus knee’ed Hardy to the outside, and Priest would roll up Hardy to retain the strap.
Afterwards, Hardy and Priest showed respect towards one another, and Sheamus angrily made his way up the stage as the crowd chanted for Hardy.
If the crowds keep chanting for Hardy the way they have done over the last few weeks, Hardy is going to be in the main title picture soon. I am still predicting a move over to FOX for the “Charismatic Enigma”. He’s got plenty of options over there to fight, unlike RAW, and I do see a rivalry between him and the “Head of the Table” sooner rather than later.
As for Priest and Sheamus, hopefully Priest gets some new mid-card challengers via the draft. Sheamus will be sticking around in the mid-card, but I don’t think he gets another shot at the U.S. Title.
The New Day Defeats A.J. Styles, Omos and Bobby Lashley
An impromptu match to start the show delivered. These six were not originally scheduled for the PPV, but RAW was lacking matches on the card, and this was a perfect way to get the Nationwide Arena ready for the rest of the night’s action. Columbus LOUDLY chanted for the WWE Champion, and it looked like the “All Mighty” was going to put away the champ with the Hurt Lock, but Styles jumped on the top rope and tagged himself in, pissing off the former champ so much that when Styles jumped for his Phenomenal Forearm, Lashley tagged himself back in.
Styles would miss his finisher, and Lashley would Spear his partner, giving E the perfect distraction to lift Lashley and plant him with the Big Ending for the finish.
This match was designed to set up promos later in the evening where Lashley challenged E mono y mono for the WWE Title TONIGHT on RAW to kick off the show, and E obliged! There will be no MVP, Kingston or Woods at ringside. These two bulls are going to lock horns in a fantastic bout to get viewers to tune in before the Philadelphia Eagles face “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys in a game that will get big ratings on Monday Night Football. I’m curious if Lashley loses clean, does he move to SmackDown?! It’s definitely possible, just like it’s likely Styles and Omos get separated soon.
Liv Morgan Defeats Carmella (Kickoff Show)
Morgan won her first match on a WWE PPV with her facebuster in between the ropes after dominating Carmella the whole match. I thought Zelina Vega would get involved her, but she was nowhere to be found. Hopefully, this feud is over, and Morgan and Carmella can finally move on after months of fighting about essentially nothing.
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Again, for a PPV with little to no hype, this show over delivered in my humble estimation. There was no bad match. Even with only one match contested under Extreme Rules, the crowd was into the whole show, and every match really felt important.
WWE also seems to be listening to their fans. Alexa Bliss’ “Fiend” gimmick is done, Sasha Banks is back, Big E is WWE Champion, Liv Morgan and Jeff Hardy are getting pushed, and the “Demon” looked strong. There’s nothing to really complain about with what happened at the 2021 Extreme Rules PPV.
GRADE: A
