You know who I am and what I do, so this shouldn't have been a surprise. With one week to go until Extreme Rules, it's time to look at 5 of my favorite matches from past Extreme Rules events. The criteria for this one was simple: choose 5 matches from 5 different events that have held up over the years, not just because of the stars involved, but also because of the gimmick matches that were involved. Without further ado, here's my Top 5 Favorite Extreme Rules Matches.
Number 5: Sheamus vs. Triple H (Extreme Rules 2010)
While it might seem like a strange choice at first, the Street Fight actually told a great story for Triple H and Sheamus. The match was originally supposed to open the show, but was delayed after Sheamus attacked The Game backstage. With nerve damage in his arms and neck, the remainder of their official match was met with tons of psychology, focusing on the injury. It was a great way to play to Triple H's ability to not say die against the dominant offense from Sheamus. They flubbed Sheamus' push at WrestleMania in his match against Triple H, but this match made up for it by having Sheamus injuring Triple H and keeping him off TV for nearly a year.
Number 4: The Shield vs. Evolution (Extreme Rules 2014)
From someone who is a huge fan of the Ruthless Aggression Era, this was a faction war that was the stuff dreams were made of. This was certainly a passing of the torch feud that showed all 3 Shield members could hang in the main event against guys like Orton, Batista, and Triple H. All 6 men had moments where they could shine, but I'd say the biggest highlight was that dive Seth Rollins took. Looking back, that was really the moment a lot of us should've realized he was going to be the breakout star from The Shield. But WWE was probably focusing too much on making sure Roman Reigns looked strong while making the pinfall. Go figure.
Number 3: Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Extreme Rules 2011)
I've always been partial to ladder matches and the moments they can bring us, and this was one that I knew would be special. After Edge's shocking retirement, the World Heavyweight Championship was vacated until Extreme Rules. Del Rio and Christian would have a ladder match to see who would be worthy of replacing Edge as champion. Yes, Christian winning was obvious, but that wasn't the point. I had been a fan of Christian since first seeing him in TNA in 2007, so seeing him win the World Heavyweight title was amazing. To have his best friend Edge there, was even better. While it sucked he lost the championship a week later to Randy Orton, I like to focus on living in that amazing moment that Christian had at Extreme Rules.
Number 2: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Extreme Rules 2012)
I loved the match Punk and Jericho had at WrestleMania, but the story was really demanding a brawl between the two, instead of a technical masterpiece. We got that necessary brawl at Extreme Rules in a Chicago Street Fight. The crowd was into every moment of it and it's one of the best Street Fights I've ever seen thanks to the attention to detail Punk and Jericho had at mapping the match out. From wearing jeans to the ring, to having Punk's family at ringside, to the amount of weapons they used, to the amount of reversals, signature moves, and nearfalls they had throughout the match, this match was pure awesomeness held by two of my absolute favorites in Punk's hometown.
Number 1: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy...then Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (Extreme Rules 2009)
Clearly I have a bias for all things ladder matches and CM Punk, so combining them had to be my favorite moment from Extreme Rules. At the inaugural Extreme Rules event, two ladder match icons had a really great match for the World Heavyweight Championship. But the story here was what happened after the match. While Jeff Hardy celebrated, CM Punk ran down, cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and won the World Heavyweight Championship. It was a great surprise to see the beginning of Punk's heel turn and the beginning of a fantastic rivalry that highlighted the summer of 2009. The match with Hardy and Edge was great, but the moment that followed the match cemented it in the annals of history as something worth remembering for all-time.
Are there any that I'm forgetting? Is there one on this list that you think isn't deserving of a top spot? Well, let me know in the comments and also suggest what type of wrestling countdown you'd like to see me do next.
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