The Weird and Wonderful…
Extreme Rules 2020 may actually be a horror show, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s a good or bad thing this Sunday. Extreme Rules will be available to stream on the WWE Network on Sunday, July 19th 2020.
Below is the match card, along with a quick description on what may be in store and a prediction for each match:
Braun Strowman vs Bray Wyatt
This match will be a Wyatt Swamp Fight, reportedly a cinematic match akin to the likes of the Boneyard Match from Wrestlemania this year. It will be a non-title bout, with the Universal title being pushed to the sidelines. This feud will seemingly culminate at Summerslam, where the Fiend may be likely to take the Universal title from the Monster Among Men. This match sees the return of the Eater of Worlds cult leader, Bray Wyatt, in what is a take in three faces of Foley.
Winner Prediction: Bray Wyatt
After losing to Strowman at Money in the Bank, Bray Wyatt will surely pick up the win here in order to culminate this feud with Strowman at Summerslam. Wyatt had used his Firefly Fun House gimmick at MITB, so bringing in the Eater of Worlds sets up a Fiend return later in the year.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs Dolph Ziggler
The stipulation for this match is yet to be confirmed, but may reportedly be a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match. Drew has looked dominant so far in his reign, with Ziggler seemingly being used to solidify that title reign for a while longer. The two have history together in the WWE, so expect an interesting affair, which may also be one of the more normal matches on the card considering everything else Extreme Rules has in store.
Winner Prediction: Drew McIntyre
I can’t see Drew’s run ending just yet, he’s been a great champion and I can’t see Ziggler holding the belt in 2020.
Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs Sasha Banks
No stipulation involved in this match as Asuka will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against one half of the tag-team champs, Sasha Banks. Asuka’s reign feels like it has just started and I don’t believe she’ll be dropping the belt just yet.
Winner Prediction: Asuka
While a Sasha Banks win could be interesting, and I can see a storyline play out where both Bayley and Sasha hold the belts until Survivor Series, where they may be forced into a match against one another (and the NXT Women’s champion)… I just don’t see WWE having the patience for that. I see Bayley potentially costing Banks the win here, setting up a possible face turn or just furthering their feud for a match at Summerslam. Asuka is an excellent wrestler and deserves a longer reign, so I’ll be happy with this predicted result.
Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley vs Nikki Cross
Bayley Dos Straps will defend one of them against Nikki Cross in another singles match. As stated in the previous match, this storyline seems to be heading towards a Bayley/Sasha Banks feud. That feud doesnt necessarily need a title, but the Smackdown Women’s Championship is the only belt Banks has never won, so I see this match going only one way.
Winner Prediction: Bayley
I love Nikki Cross, she’s a great wrestler and an interesting character… but this story is all about Bayley and Sasha. While I can see Cross taking the belt off Bayley, either via a Sasha Banks interference or a clean win, I see WWE choosing the other option. Bayley retaining while Sasha loses may sow the end of their friendship, culmiating in the inevitable loss of their Tag-Team Champioships and a match down the line.
Rey Mysterio vs Seth Rollins – Eye for an Eye Match
So… this match is happening, and it may either be the best or worst match on the card. I’m very intrigued by how WWE will accomplish this match, whether it will actually have a finish or not. The winner of this match is the person to succesfully remove the eye of their opponent…
Winner Prediction: Seth Rollins
Rey Mysterio is currently working with the WWE without being under a contract, according to recent reports. This match could be a way to write him off for good and may even be the last match we see from Rey Mysterio in the WWE. A win for Rollins here sets up many encounters in the future, from Owens to Black and even Rey’s son Dominick.
United States Champion Apollo Crews vs MVP
A brand new US Championship belt was revealed on a recent episode of Raw by MVP, since then, the former US Champ has declared himself the new champion and has worn this belt around his waist. Meanwile, Crews has been notably absent from television… Apollo has put on some excellent matches in his short run, but could MVP take away the title of champion from him.
Winner Prediction: MVP
This was a very hard match to predict, I don’t like seeing Apollo lose the belt so soon, but I don’t think WWE have as much faith in him as some of the fans do. While I would rather see thebelt on a younger talent, MVP’s work on Raw in recent months has been incredible, even being able to elevate Bobby Lashley into a higher position on the card. I either see MVP taking the belt here, or Lashley taking it down the line. I would prefer Lashley… but WWE may not, regardless, this could be an excellent match.
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day vs Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura – Tables Match
After beating The New Day down using a table in an impressive spot two weeks ago and SmackDown, Cesaro was given the opportunity to take on Kofi Kingston in a singles match to determine who would choose the stipulation; Cesaro won and settled on a Tables Match. Nakamura and Cesaro have been underappreciated within the WWE sphere, coukd this be their chance to get some more gold around their waist?
Winner Prediction: The New Day
I would love to see a Cesaro/Nakamura win, but I don’t see them toppling the New Day, although I will happily be proven wrong. The problem with this choice is, who do the New Day face after this feud? With the Usos still out of action for now and the Forgotten Sons disappearing after some recent Twitter antics, who could take the belts from the two? This was a hard one to predict and could go either way, but i’m sticking to the New Day for now and hoping for a great match.
This was a full rundown of the match card for The Horror Show at Extreme Rules 2020. The card is subject to change, and could at any time, expect a possible pre-show match to be added at some point. Catch Extreme Rules on the WWE Network this Sunday, with the pre-show starting at 11pm BST/6pm ET.
By Jimmy Ioannou
Images provided by WWE/Twitter
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