The “New Era” of WWE is going extreme this weekend, as hard-hitting pay-per-view Extreme Rules comes to our screens on May 22.
As the name suggests, Extreme Rules will see WWE Superstars face off in matches a little more hardcore than our regular servings on Monday Night RAW. Weapons are often allowed, count-outs and disqualifications are out and someone is guaranteed to get put through a table.
This year’s Extreme Rules will be headlined by Roman Reigns, who faces off against “The Phenomenal One” AJ Styles for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It’s a match that’s sure to be full of exciting moments, especially with “Club” members Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows lying in wait to back up their friend AJ Styles.
We’re excited, so much so we’ve had a look at the eight previous Extreme Rules pay per views to pick some of our favourite matches.
Get yourself in the mood for WWE Extreme Rules 2016 by checking out these matches via the WWE Network.
Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship –  2011
Wrestling fans were stunned by the news of Edge’s sudden retirement in April 2011. The fan favourite had to vacate his World Heavyweight Championship shortly after Wrestlemania 27, and with no contender to the belt other than villain Alberto Del Rio it looked like we had ended up in the darkest timeline.
Enter Christian. As Edge’s “brother” and IRL best friend, there was no one better to pick up the baton and fight the good fight for Edge. Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio is an excellently pitched ladder match, with both superstars working well to tell a great story. That it began Christian’s fantastic “One More Match” saga only adds to its drama.
Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan in a 2-out-of-3 falls match for the World Heavyweight Championship – 2012
18 seconds. That was the how long it took Sheamus to beat “American Dragon Daniel” Bryan in a ridiculous match at Wrestlemania 28 for the World Heavyweight Championship. Wanting to avenge the embarrassing defeat, Daniel Bryan had a rematch with Sheamus is this fantastic best of three match at Extreme Rules.
Bryan, considered to be the best wrestler of the past decade, puts in a wrestling clinic in this match, and facing off in with the capable Sheamus has a brilliant match of contrasting styles and speeds.
CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho in a Chicago Street Fight for the WWE Championship – 2012
CM Punk is known for a couple of things, one being that he doesn’t drink or take drugs. The Straight Edge Saviour takes his lifestyle choice pretty seriously, so when Chris Jericho rolled along and smashed a bottle of Jack Daniels over his head before claiming Punk would end up an alcoholic “just like his Dad”, things got a little too aggy for a regular match.
The pair had already fought in a Best in the World vs. Best in the World match at Wrestlemania 28, but their Chicago Street Fight at Extreme Rules was an entirely different proposition. Less messing about with submissions, and more panning each others head in with kendo sticks. Hey, you insult a man’s father like that Jericho, expect to get put through a table.
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena in a Street Fight match – 2012
Sensing a theme? The 2012 edition of Extreme Rules has been the event’s stand out year, and capping things off was this brutal encounter between Brock Lesnar and John Cena. This was Brock’s first match in WWE since 2004 and fans were pumped to see the albino incredible Hulk, former UFC Heavyweight champion lay waste to John Cena.
What followed is perhaps the most hard-hitting match in Extreme Rules history as stairs, chairs and chains all get used as the pair beat the living snot out of each other.
(If this is the whiskey, watch  Lesnar vs Cena at Summerslam 2015 as a chaser. 16 suplexes. We still can’t believe it now.)
Brock Lesnar vs. HHH in a Street Fight match, 2013
Brock Lesnar’s back, this time facing against the “Cerebral Assassin” Triple H (who we interviewed this past week). The pair had been feuding throughout Wrestlemania season that year, and at one point during their beef HHH’s career was on the line. The final match in their feud was this “steel cage deathmatch”, with Brock Lesnar’s manager Paul Heyman watching from the sideline.
Suplexes, sharpshooters and sledgehammers all feature in a good old fashioned slobberknocker. Real #BigLadsDivision business.
The Shield vs. Evolution in a Six Man Tag Match, 2014
Capping of our list is this superb six man tag match between two of the greatest wrestling stables of modern times.
On one side were The Shield, an ridiculously popular band of new anti-heroes comprised of Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
On the other, Evolution, a team of experience baddies including Triple H, Randy Orton and Bastista.
The resulting match was one of the most wonderfully chaotic six man tag matches in WWE history. High impact, high intensity and high on “WTF is going on?”, this feud was so good they did it all over again in the next month at WWeE Payback the very next month. This one is electric.
All images via WWE.com
Did we miss out your favourite WWE Extreme Rules match? Let us know at hello@JOE.co.uk, or drop us a message on Facebook.
