Sports
WWE Extreme Rules 2020 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights
0 of 5Credit: WWE.comWWE continued its slog through 2020 Sunday night with The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, a show almost too appropriately named given the company’s television ratings and general audience apathy. It hoped the event would light a spark, rather than descend into a nightmarish abyss.With the first-ever Eye for an Eye match…
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- WWE Championship match: Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler (stipulation not yet announced)
- Wyatt Swamp Fight: Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt
- An Eye for an Eye match: Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins
- United States Championship match: Apollo Crews vs. MVP
- Raw Women's Championship match: Asuka vs. Sasha Banks
- SmackDown Women's Championship match: Nikki Cross vs. Bayley
- Tables match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The New Day vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura
Credit: WWE.com
WWE continued its slog through 2020 Sunday night with The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, a show almost too appropriately named given the company's television ratings and general audience apathy. It hoped the event would light a spark, rather than descend into a nightmarish abyss.
With the first-ever Eye for an Eye match slated for the show, not to mention a Wyatt Swamp Fight, the prospects did not look promising.
Would it be Rey Mysterio or Seth Rollins who lost an eye in potentially the most barbaric match in WWE history? Would Braun Strowman exorcise the demon that is Bray Wyatt from his mind? Could Dolph Ziggler finally win the major title that has eluded him over the course of his career in the form of the WWE Championship?
Find out the answers to those questions and more with this recap of the July 19 pay-per-view.
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Already announced for Sunday's WWE Network presentation were:
Just two hours before the event, WWE tweeted that Kevin Owens and Murphy would square off on the night's Kickoff Show.
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Credit: WWE.com
The night’s action started on the Kickoff Show as Kevin Owens and Murphy battled in singles competition, rekindling a rivalry that is the direct result of Owens’ issues with “Monday Night Messiah” Seth Rollins.
Neither Owens nor Murphy wasted time, taking the fight to each other from the opening bell. A big clothesline by KO flattened Murphy, but the former cruiserweight and tag team champion defended a senton with knees to the back.
Owens recovered and delivered a cannonball in the corner for two. Murphy broke out a Meteora for near-fall. The lightning pace of the match continued, neither man really gaining a sustained upper-hand over his opponent.
That changed with Murphy’s use of knee strikes and a brainbuster. Owens fought out of a superplex attempt and delivered a picture-perfect moonsault for a two-count. Owens sustained his comeback and picked up the hard-fought victory with the stunner.
Result
Owens defeated Murphy
Grade
B
Analysis
It is never a good thing when the night’s action peaks in the preshow but that may very well be the case tonight.
Owens and Murphy, in an unannounced, thrown-together Kickoff Show match, brought the goods and may have stolen the show.
The back-and-forth, transitions and reversals kept the viewer invested. Even as it was somewhat predictable, the performers did a fine job of creating doubt that Owens would run away with the win.
Murphy, again, looked far better than his status in the company would suggest and Owens’ hot streak in 2020 continues.
A fine way to start tonight’s festivities and, hopefully, a sign of things to come.
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Credit: WWE.com
Fueled by revenge after being put through a table by their challengers, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day took the fight to Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura early in the Tables Match opener of this year’s Extreme Rules.
Big E obliterated Cesaro with a spear through the ropes in the first high spot of the night. The champs looked to continue their hot streak as Big E sent Kingston soaring over the ropes…and right into a table held by the challengers.
With Kingston neutralized for the time being, the challengers focused their attack on the powerful Big E.
Kofi exploded back into the match with a trust fall that wiped Nakamura out. The comeback was short-lived as Nakamura sent Kingston to the floor and Cesaro swung Big E right into the Kinshasa by The Artist. Kingston, again, exploded back into the match by taking out both opponents.
The former WWE champion’s own momentum proved costly, though, as Cesaro caught him in a hurricanrana attempt and drove him through a stack of tables for the win and the titles.
Result
Cesaro and Nakamura defeated The New Day to win the titles
Grade
B
Analysis
It may not have been as good as Owens-Murphy, but this was the second high-energy match of the night that exceeded expectations.
It would have been better with more of a coherent story but if the Superstars can bring a reasonable amount of energy to gimmick matches like these, the results are typically very good.
Cesaro and Nakamura have been a solid tag team for months now and probably deserve a run with the gold but one has to wonder what tag teams there are to work with them besides New Day. Jimmy Uso is hurt, The Forgotten Sons were tweeted out of relevancy and former champs John Morrison and The Miz are heels.
Expect this to be but the first chapter of this particular rivalry, if only because there is nowhere else for either team to go.
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Credit: WWE.com
The arrogant SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley saw her title reign flash before her very eyes early in her defense against Nikki Cross Sunday. The challenger caught her with a neckbreaker that put her down for a near-fall, then followed with a tornado DDT that had the Role Model reeling.
A crossbody from the top rope continued the challenger’s roll until Bayley sent her crashing into the plexiglass surrounding the ringside area.
The champion meticulously worked over Cross, slowing the pace of the match and making the challenger work at her speed. Bayley, though, took her eye off Cross and paid for it as the challenger fought her way back into the match and applied a crossface. The champ fought out and delivered a Bayley-to-Belly, but could only keep Cross down for two as frustration set in.
Cross fought back with a basement dropkick, followed with a running bulldog and delivered a ripcord neckbreaker for two. “I need you to pull it together,” Sasha Banks implored Bayley from ringside. She piped in again, this time in disbelief when Bayley failed to put her opponent away.
Cross executed a perfect draping, twisting neckbreaker on the floor. Back inside, Cross scored another two-count as concern painted the face of Banks.
The Boss distracted the referee, slid Bayley her “BOSS” knuckles and the champion used them to stun Cross. A face plant followed and Bayley successfully retained her title three seconds later.
Result
Bayley defeated Cross
Grade
B
Analysis
The storytelling in this one was off the charts.
From Bayley using Cross’ ring apron spot against her to Cross recalling Bayley’s old taunts moments later, there were more than a few clever call backs. The strength of this one, though, was Bayley’s mounting frustration with her inability to put the game Cross away.
She was so confident that she would roll over her challenger and when it did not happen, she grew more and more concerned, all the way to the point that Banks had to cheat on her behalf for her to retain her title.
It will be interesting to see later in the show if Bayley is there for Banks to that extent, or if the SmackDown champion isn’t quite as invested in the friendship as she is in The Boss’ contributions to her own success.
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Credit: WWE.com
Commentator Tom Phillips announced that due to injury, Apollo Crews was not able to pass his pre-match physical and as a result, he would be unable to defend his United States Championship against MVP tonight.
The braggadocios heel made his way to the ring, alongside Bobby Lashley, and urged his charge not to apply his trademark Full Nelson to such an extent that it impedes MVP’s own career advancement.
He declared himself the winner by forfeit and the new United States Champion.
Grade
Incomplete
Analysis
Crews has not been on TV for weeks. If you take the excuse at face value, that he was hurt weeks ago and unable to compete, you have to wonder why WWE continued to advertise him up to this point.
If his absence is related to the COVID-19 pandemic, again, you have to wonder why they continued to advertise him knowing full well he would be unable to appear.
While that is questionable, even shady booking, the silver lining is that it allows MVP to continue building heat and enjoy the career renaissance he has found here in 2020.
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