‘WWE Extreme Rules 2022’ PPV Review

Welcome to Nerdly and this review of the 2022 Extreme Rules pay per view… Let’s not beat around the bush, this PPV was marked by the stunning, flawless return of Bray Wyatt and what looks to be his new faction, which is made up of human versions of his Firefly Funhouse characters! As for the rest of the show, read on for my review…

Match #1: Donnybrook Match – The Brawling Brutes def. Imperium

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

One day removed from Sheamus and Gunther fighting in their second Intercontinental Championship Match, the two led their respective fashions into a Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match. Donnybrook theater this was not, as the two factions used every weapon they could find to deliver heart-racing carnage. Imperium controlled the early minutes, dispatching The Brawling Brutes with haste and dropping Sheamus onto the bar at ringside. Ridge Holland turned the tide by showcasing his impressive power when he dropped Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci onto the mat. The upper hand was short-lived, though, as Kaiser and Vinci struck Holland with an Imperial Bomb to the floor outside the ring. With the WWE Universe at a fever pitch, The Celtic Warrior and the Intercontinental Champion began to trade haymakers in the center of the ring, with Sheamus hitting 10 Beats of the Bodhran on The Ring General before connecting with the Brogue Kick. Vinci broke up the pinfall, possibly saving the match for Imperium. As Sheamus locked Gunther in the Clover Leaf, the win seemed certain for The Brawling Brutes until Kaiser jumped into the ring and struck Sheamus with a Shillelagh. The Shillelagh again reared its ugly head when Butch and Holland held Gunther down long enough for Sheamus to hit his rival in the face with the weapon. Sheamus doubled down on the rampage by planting the Intercontinental Champion with a Celtic Cross through a table, taking Gunther out of the match. Unlike last night when Gunther reigned supreme, The Brawling Brutes delivered in their match, coming out with the victory after Sheamus knocked out Vinci with the Brogue Kick.

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #2: SmackDown Women’s Championship Match – Ronda Rousey def. Liv Morgan

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

With Liv Morgan trying to make it 3-0 against Ronda Rousey, The Baddest Woman on the Planet was right in her element in an Extreme Rules Match not for the faint of heart. The SmackDown Women’s Champion tried to blind Rousey with a fire extinguisher, but The Baddest Woman on the Planet came back, emulating Bryce Harper with a home run blast to the midsection of Morgan with a baseball bat. Morgan had her best chance of victory when she hit Code Red with the assistance of a steel chair, but the challenger kicked out before the three-count. Rousey again escaped a loss after Morgan hit a senton to smash Rousey through a table. Morgan could not enact enough damage to defeat Rousey, as The Baddest Woman on the Planet put Morgan into a Bicep Crusher while pressing the side of the broken table against her opponent’s face, which made the SmackDown Women’s Champion pass out. With the victory, Rousey became a two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion while Morgan seemed to be bizarrely smiling after the contest.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #3: Strap Match – Karrion Kross def. Drew McIntyre

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

In the first Strap Match held at WWE Extreme Rules since the 2013 edition, Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross collided for the first time ever, with only 12 feet of leather between the two. Before the bell, Kross initiated mind games, throwing the strap outside of the ring to Scarlett, who pulled McIntyre into the corner and allowed “The Doomsday Superstar” to beat down the former WWE Champion. The fight then erupted into the raucous Philadelphia crowd, with the two behemoths beating each other to bits before finally getting back to the ring to officially start the match. Kross went straight to McIntyre’s weak shoulder, slamming McIntyre shoulder-first into the ring post. Kross then used the strap to brutal effect, silencing the Philly crowd with the sound of leather onto skin. McIntyre fought back, winning the “strap-off” before planting “The Harbinger of Doom” with the Future Shock DDT. Scarlett, however, once again got involved, stepping in front of McIntyre as The Scottish Warrior was about to connect with the Claymore. In a hideous act, Scarlett then blinded McIntyre with pepper spray, allowing Kross to connect with the Kross Hammer and pick up the victory.

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #4: Raw Women’s Championship Ladder Match – Bianca Belair def. Bayley

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

In the first one-on-one Women’s Ladder Match in WWE history, Bianca Belair and Bayley went toe-to-toe in a demolition derby of a title fight. Much like past Ladder Matches, Belair and Bayley went to new heights as Belair used the hard steel to aid her in a maniacal Moonsault. Bayley took umbrage with the Philadelphia faithful, tearing up a fan’s sign before connecting with an elbow to the heart of The EST onto a ladder. The Role Model removed a hinge from her knee brace to use as a weapon, but the Raw Women’s Champion hit Bayley with the K.O.D. Just as Belair looked to grab the title hanging above the ring, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY attacked the champion, but The EST nailed both Damage CTRL members with a double K.O.D. The mayhem gave Bayley enough time to recuperate and shock The EST with a Rose Plant. Bayley then trapped Belair with the ladder, but Belair muscled her way out of it by lifting the ladder with The Role Model still on it. In the closing moments, the Raw Women’s Champion used a broken half of a ladder to hit Bayley with a vicious K.O.D., driving her challenger face-first into the steel. With Bayley out of commission, Belair had the last laugh, scaling the ladder to retrieve her Raw Women’s Title.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #5: “I Quit” Match – Finn Balor def. Edge

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

A battle in the making since The Judgment Day turned on Edge, The Rated R-Superstar finally got his hands on the main perpetrator, Finn Bálor. Bálor employed a new viciousness, wearing a fabulously spiked beauty of a mask to signal to The Rated R-Superstar that touching him would be harmful. After a heated brawl through the arena that featured a wild melee at the Kickoff set as well as Edge wielding a hockey stick to try to get Bálor to give up, the rest of Judgment Day charged the ring. Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio helped their brethren after Bálor was locked in an Edgecator. Edge dispatched the dark group by hitting a Spear on Bálor through the ropes onto the rest of The Judgment Day on the ringside floor. Rhea Ripley showcased her cunning, handcuffing Edge to the top rope and allowing The Judgment Day to begin a 3-on-1 beatdown. Edge’s friend Rey Mysterio came down to provide backup, but Dominik viciously assaulted his father, sending Rey into the ring post. As Bálor was unloading a Kendo Stick beatdown on Edge, Beth Phoenix came to her husband’s aid and took the Kendo stick away from Bálor before pummeling Judgment Day with the weapon. Rhea Ripley then interrupted the proceedings, engaging in a fist fight with Phoenix. After taking care of Ripley, Phoenix unlocked the handcuffs and allowed Edge to kick Dominik below the belt before executing three Spears on Bálor. As Edge was about to hook in a submission on Bálor, Ripley blindsided Phoenix with a brass knuckles strike. This let Bálor hit three Coup de Graces on the WWE Hall of Famer. The Prince then turned to Edge’s family to secure the win, forcing Edge to choose between winning the match or seeing his wife be struck with a Con-Chair-To. Edge chose family and uttered the two words he said he would never say: I Quit. Edge’s admittance was for naught, however, as Ripley struck down the steel chair on Phoenix anyway, stunning the WWE Universe.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #6: Fight Pit Match – Riddle def. Seth Rolllins

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

In another grudge match befitting of Extreme Rules, Matt Riddle and Seth “Freakin” Rollins tore each other apart Inside the Fight Pit, the first-ever match of its kind at a Premium Live Event. Riddle had previously stepped Inside the Fight Pit, competing in one during his time in NXT. Muddying the waters was the inclusion of Daniel Cormier, the Special Guest Referee for the contest. Riddle looked to his MMA roots, hitting Rollins with a side kick while using the cage as momentum. As Philadelphia was singing Rollins’ tune, The Visionary used devious tactics to get out of a Triangle Hold, thumbing Riddle’s eye. As Cormier was checking on Riddle, Rollins pushed Cormier out of the way, drawing the ire of the official, who repeatedly told Rollins, “Do not touch me.” Rollins emulated WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam, hitting a Five-Star Frog Splash off the top of the catwalk. Much like a few weeks ago, The Visionary locked in the Peruvian Necktie, but Riddle countered with an RKO. After Riddle attempted another RKO, Rollins escaped and struck Riddle with the Stomp. Rollins scaled the catwalk, leading to a fist fight on top of the Fight Pit. Using the catwalk to his advantage, The Architect then hit The Original Bro with a Buckle Bomb or rather a “Fight Pit Cage Wall” Bomb. Rollins connected with a Pedigree on the catwalk, barking at Cormier to start counting even though he couldn’t win that way under Fight Pit rules. An RKO onto Rollins on the catwalk gave some breathing room to Riddle. In an insane feat, Riddle flew from the catwalk, hitting The Visionary with a Broton. Riddle then locked in a triangle hold, forcing Rollins to deliver multiple Buckle Bombs in an attempt to get out of the submission. Riddle weathered the storm and kept the hold locked in, forcing Rollins to tap out. On this night, experience proved key as The Original Bro garnered retribution in his rivalry with The Visionary, coming out on top Inside the Fight Pit.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4/5

This was a decent pay-per-view from WWE, one that felt a little lacklustre at times – namely the strap match and the Smackdown women’s title match. Even the main event wasn’t that great, it was good but not great. But… and I’ll be honest here, everything was worth it to see the return of Bray Wyatt at the end of the show – a return that sent shives down my spine in what has to be one of THE greatest returns to the WWE in history!  For that I can forgive everything else!