wwe returns to pay-per-view (PPV) -- if your cable provider is carrying the event, of course -- tomorrow night (Sun., April 26, 2015) live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois with its Extreme Rules event starting at 7:00 p.m. ET with the Kickofff show featuring Brass Ring Club vs. New Day leading right on into the main course at 8 p.m. ET on the WWE Network.
Set for the card: Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton for the WWE world heavyweight title, John Cena vs. Rusev for the US championship, and so much more!
Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.
Let's get to it.
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WWE EXTREME RULES PREDICTIONS
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton
The General: This match isn't about Orton challenging for the WWE world heavyweight championship as much as it is Kane and whether or not he'll finally fully turn on Rollins or side with him once again for the benefit of The Authority. The strange reality is it has felt like the live crowds are ready for the Kane turn and want him to challenge Rollins. Hell, the big man was amazing on Raw this past week. That said, there's no way they believe a Rollins vs. Kane title match can headline Payback and if they do, someone needs to hit up Bad News Barrett. All that said, there's no way Orton leaves with the strap here. He may win, but it won't include another run with the belt. Pick: Rollins
Sean Rueter: Somehow, someway, the cage door will not keep interference out. I know...call me crazy, but something tells me that's not the impenetrable barrier The Viper thinks it is. I'll give them credit, as many jokes as I make about keeping Kane strong in the previews, they've used the angle between he and the champ to create some suspense that this match wouldn't have otherwise. In the end, I expect him to do what's "best for business", keep the belt on his associate and set-up more of this feud for later. Pick: Seth Rollins
Keith Harris: The booking seems obvious here, Orton batters Rollins from pillar to post, but Kane, either accidentally, reluctantly or purposefully hands victory on a platter to The Authority's chose one. A swerve screw-job finish may be the most likely here due to WWE's current lack of top heels and the timing not seeming right for a Kane vs. Rollins program. Pick: Seth Rollins
Cain A. Knight: Counting this match, 19 out of the last 21 WWE Championship matches on PPV have included at least one of John Cena or Randy Orton. That seems like a big problem, and so it's hard for me to feel like this is a fresh and exciting match. The idea that an enforcer is needed to watch the cage basically admits that the logic of selecting a cage match (to prevent outside interference) never made sense in the first place. The match will probably be very good but the storyline is all centered around Kane, and so that only adds to the lack of excitement for this one. It seems pretty clear that Kane is going to tease being a neutral enforcer but will ultimately screw Orton over. And then Orton will RKO everyone in sight after the match is over. Let's hope Rollins comes up with a new finishing move for this one, because that new finisher he debuted on Raw is as generic and unimpressive as it gets. Pick: Seth Rollins
Joshua Gagnon: Coming off a solid WrestleMania 31 match, Rollins and Orton will face-off yet again, this time in a steel cage. The cage is meant to keep The Authority out, but as of late, we know that won't be the case, see: Cena vs. Wyatt Family. With Orton's RKO being banned, and Rollins' Curb Stomp being no longer used, this match doesn't get me as excited as I should be. Look for plenty of shenanigans - and since Rollins is involved - an insane spot or two. A phoenix splash off the cage would do just fine. With the amount of momentum behind the current champ, I find it difficult that the title will be changing hands on one of WWE's lesser PPVs. PICK - Rollins
Jason Martin: The problem with this match has nothing to do with the skill level of either participant, because in truth, the in-ring bout itself should be quite good. These two had a very solid outing at Wrestlemania in a match with a botched build and almost no hype and here, they have both of those bullet points in their favor. The match will be good and it will be to WWE formula. Kane as the Gatekeeper seems to be the source for the finish. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever to take the title from Seth Rollins until SummerSlam. Orton doesn't need it, Reigns shouldn't win it unless it's at a major, major PPV show, and no one else should even be in the discussion based on their card status. With that knowledge, the only question is whether Kane helps Seth win or whether extra interference leads to the three count. It's also possible that Orton could hit an RKO and be disqualified, even if that move were to land on someone else by accident. I don't sense that being the direction. Seth comes in weak in terms of his win-loss record since winning the Championship, so the obvious answer is he wins on Sunday. He will, and it will largely be due to Kane, which keeps that thread alive. It should be a great match. I anticipate a very mediocre reaction to the finish, however. Pick: Seth Rollins
John Cena vs. Rusev
The General: Heels don't come out on top in feuds with Cena; they just don't. Really, heels generally fail to come out on top in feuds in WWE because it's a babyface promotion and the good guy must triumph and all that. Unless you're Daniel Bryan or Dolph Ziggler, in which case it's hit or miss at best. Cena is going over but I suppose Rusev fans can take solace in the fact that they booked a match stipulation that will allow a loss without taking a pinfall. Pick: Cena
Sean Rueter: Racking my brain to come up with something clever to say here, but I got nothing. Should be a fun match, but the drama is in how they prepare the Bulgarian for what comes next, because I don't think he will or should win the U.S. title back. John Cena fighting mid-card champ is working, and Rusev needs to be moved up toward the top of the card a notch or two anyway. Pick: John Cena
Keith Harris: Rusev has really been put on the back-burner since WrestleMania, whilst Cena has been fighting off challenges to his newly won title on a weekly basis, a gimmick that hasn't run its course. This is also likely the blowoff to their feud and it would be unlikely for WWE to opt to have Russia conquering America in the final chapter. Pick: John Cena
Cain A. Knight: So this thing is just a strap match disguised as a chain match, huh? I think that's probably for the best, as matches with chains sound way more exciting than matches with straps. This is probably the final PPV match between these guys for a while, and it seems like CenaWinsLOL is the clear booking path. Rusev will probably pass out after Cena uses the chain to enhance his crappy-looking STFU. Then Cena will cover Rusev's body in BBQ sauce and drag him around all four corners while saluting the American flag. But don't you worry, Rusev will recover any lost heat when he defeats Jack Swagger on Raw the next night. Pick: John Cena
Joshua Gagnon: Now this is where things get interesting. The PPV rubber match between USA and Russia! Picking a winner is a battle between my heart and head. My heart says go with Lana...and of course, Rusev, he should get the final win in this feud. My head says; "don't be stupid, this is John Cena we're talking about". Cena's "Open Challenge" has added a nice wrinkle to the title, and is one of the segments I actually look forward to week-to-week. I have a feeling WWE will want to milk this for as long as they can. So that leaves Rusev out in the cold for a second PPV in a row. PICK - Cena
Jason Martin: This is Round 3 for these two, who met in a fun match at Fast Lane and a fairly pedestrian, though by no means bad contest at Wrestlemania. Rusev has been pinned, but WWE would prefer that doesn't become commonplace. Enter a four-corners style chain match, a stipulation that has proven to result in very few truly good wrestling exhibitions. It limits movement and it's all built on story. What you can expect: Cena to hit three turnbuckles several times, Rusev to hit three turnbuckles several times, and towards the end, Rusev to hit a buckle and Cena to do it behind him. Both end up at three and it turns into a fight. The main issue with this particular iteration is the expected lack of color, which should always be at the forefront of this kind of "settle the score" scenario. Cena and the Open Challenge have been good for WWE television and it will continue. Especially with the fact that neither man will be pinned in the match, it really won't end up counting for much in the grand scheme. Rusev will lose, Lana may be involved. It will be decent, but not great. Pick: John Cena
Roman Reigns vs. Big Show
The General: I've seen these two have a solid match and I've seen them stink the joint out. Last Man Standing matches are generally hit or miss, so I suppose it's fitting that this is what's being presented to us. I can't see any way Show goes over, and he shouldn't. Pick: Reigns
Sean Rueter: There may be some doubt backstage about Roman as the next big thing, but if they haven't completely given up on him, he has to win this. Losing matches just like this is the primary reason Show is on the roster in 2015. Pick: Roman Reigns
Keith Harris: There's really only one logical decision to choose from here due to the complete fan apathy of Big Show as a main event heel and because another high profile defeat would make Roman Reigns look like a choke artist on the downslide. Reigns needs to win decisively and solidify himself again as the top contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Pick: Roman Reigns
Cain A. Knight: This is the match that nobody wants to see. For whatever reason WWE keeps sticking Big Show with Roman Reigns and it is only hurting Roman's stock. Reigns should be feuding with more interesting heels like Rusev, Wyatt, Sheamus, or Harper. But nope, we can't have that because WWE doesn't know how to get away from old giants of yesterday like Big Show, Kane, and Mark Henry. The final spot of this match will be Roman's answer to the taxi choke slam, which means that Big Show is going to be speared through a gigantic prop in the arena. You can believe that. Pick: Roman Reigns
Joshua Gagnon: Hopefully, this match is a quick one. Much like most of you, I just can't get behind anything Big Show anymore. Not only are his matches hard to watch, but it's a foregone conclusion Reigns will win this. So knowing that, takes all of the fun out of this one. I will probably make dinner whenever this match begins. PICK - Reigns
Jason Martin: How many times can one group of fans be forced to watch such an uninteresting pairing? Apparently, Vince McMahon's answer is "at least one more dammit." Last Man Standing matches often make for some of WWE's best gimmick efforts, with Bray and Cena tearing the house down last year and any number of other examples from previous years. This...will not be that kind of show-stealer. These are two guys that have combined for at best "okay" matches, and even though this will likely be one of their better performances, it's still going to drag and it's still going to take quite a beating from a raucous Chicago crowd. I had thought for weeks Bray Wyatt might interfere here either before a Reigns loss or after a Reigns win, hitting a few Sister Abigails on steel steps, to lead to the next feud. But, if Reigns-Rollins-Orton is being teased, which appears to be the direction following SmackDown, that won't happen here. What will happen is a Roman Reigns victory, because that guy ain't losing to...well, that other guy. Actually, that guy ain't losing again anytime soon. Pick: Roman Reigns
Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett
The General: Assuming it happens, if the company is really as concerned about Bryan's health as they seem to be, I wouldn't be surprised if they took the title off him. That said, every word going around is that he's banged up enough to miss another month. So we'll see. Pick: Barrett
Sean Rueter: Shouldn't be happening, and I don't think it will. Leaving it on the card might mean we watch DB hand over a belt for the second year in a row, but I'm thinking Barrett delivers some Bad News, maybe gets interrupted by the Axe Man arriving at AxTreme Rules and Bullhammers my boy for some quick heat.
Keith Harris: If Daniel Bryan somehow manages to make a miraculous recovery from his mysterious, top secret ailment, then it's still hard to see Vince McMahon keeping an important title on a wrestler whose body seems to be breaking down, that can't be relied upon to stay healthy for a few months at a time, no matter how popular he is. I doubt this match takes place, but if it does, expect a title change. Pick: Bad News Barrett
Cain A. Knight: It doesn't seem like this match will actually take place due to Bryan's health. If the match does take place, Bryan will retain the championship because Bad News Barrett doesn't need any more meaningless IC Title reigns on his ledger. I think a likely alternative is that Bryan will sit this one out while Neville takes his place and gets knocked out with a bull hammer. Pick: Bad News Barrett
Joshua Gagnon: With Bryan's recent injury woes, word is he won't be around for this PPV. So if this match doesn't happen, who should fill-in against Bad New Barrett? To find an answer, we could look to the challengers from the IC Ladder Match at WrestleMania 31. Everyone is already tied up in a match aside from R-Truth and Stardust. If Stardust fills in, that's a bit of a letdown. If R-Truth fills in, that's a huge letdown. I'm thinking - again, since this isn't one of WWE's bigger shows - why not showcase Neville? Yes, conventional wisdom would say it will be another loss for the high-flyer, but what if he got the win? If Bryan were healthy, Bad News was in all likelihood, slated to lose against him. Why not give the new guy a rub? We're talking shades of the Lightning Kid and Razor Ramon here! PICK - Neville
Jason Martin: My expectation is this match doesn't take place and in its place, Wade Barrett works Neville. That's what I would do. I don't think it's in any way intelligent to let Daniel Bryan work. As of Friday morning, WWE.com still had the IC Title match listed. I just can't believe they'd take that risk when they didn't mention the match on either of the last two major television programs. It's not necessary. If it happens, I have no idea what they do, because I don't know DB's health status. It's been so inconsistent and muddy. Barrett would probably win it in order to rest Bryan, but that doesn't make much sense considering how poorly Barrett has been used since December. That's why you go with Neville against Barrett, and because it's WWE and wins and losses, it could technically be for the vacated Intercontinental Championship. I'd say it won't be, but BNB/Neville could be one hell of a match and another great showcase for the newcomer against a guy who will do his best to make the main roster rookie look like a major player. Pick: A BNB/Neville Fill-In That Will Be Excellent
Nikki Bella vs. Naomi
The General: The Total Divas factor creates such an unknown that it's impossible to even make an educated guess on the Divas division. Heel Naomi has a ton of potential but Nikki is a great champion right now and I see no reason to take the title off her just yet. Pick: Nikki
Sean Rueter: Looking forward to Bella hossing her way through another title defense, and hoping this is when we see Naomi put it together into a great performance. Story-wise this is kind of a mess, because while Trinity's heel turn makes sense, either Nik is in the middle of a face turn that doesn't, or they're just a couple of catty chicks. Ugh. Anyway, I doubt they're pulling a switch with someone who they hadn't even planned to be in this spot a month ago. Pick: Nikki Bella
Keith Harris: The match here really need to hammer home Naomi's turn towards villainy and also the Bellas transition back into wholesome girls next door, the latter of which has been poorly explained so far. The best way to do that is for a dominant victory for Naomi where she uses foul means to steal the title from Nikki. Pick: Naomi
Cain A. Knight: There has been a lot of change in the divas division over the last month. It looks like WWE is going to finally run with Naomi as a serious heel, which means she probably won't lose this match. I guess there could be a screwy DQ or a no-contest, but having Naomi take a fall here doesn't seem to make much sense. I think this is the night where she finally captures the gold. And she'll probably hold on to it until Paige comes back for revenge. Pick: Naomi
Joshua Gagnon: This is a tough one to pick. Nikki has been champion for 5 months, and with how WWE has handled AJ Lee leaving, I can't tell if they want Nikki to beat AJ's record reign of 295 days or not. I'm leaning towards not, so this would be a good spot to give the newest "good girl gone bad" Naomi, a run with the title. Naomi has shown a spark with the recent heel turn in her promos, and if she can just work on her consistently in the ring, a nice run could be in order. If she's a flop, we know WWE has no problem giving the title right back to Nikki on some random Raw. PICK - Naomi
Jason Martin: Bellas are babyfaces against the two-week heeling Naomi. She's done a good job with her mic work, and because I never watch Total Divas, I don't immediately have to deal with the idea that she's a supremely nice woman. I know she is, but I haven't endured it all that much. Nikki's "Rosa of course" line from London remains one of my favorite moments in her career. She's the Champion, and she has Brie, but as babies, the interference isn't likely. Naomi could absolutely cheat and win this title. If they want to build her, that's absolutely what WWE should do on Sunday. I look at it on paper, though, and say does Vince suddenly value Naomi so much that after a two-week television push he's going to put the (albeit meaningless) Championship on her? My head tells me no, especially with two pinfalls over Nikki already, but I don't have a good feel for this one. Pick: Nikki Bella
Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler
The General: Considering the stipulation, I can't see Sheamus losing but I can't see booking Ziggler to lose either. How does a babyface recover from a loss that includes kissing his opponent's ass? This entire deal is stupid as hell. Sheamus is getting the big push, and it's Dolph, who's been treated much worse. Pick: Sheamus
Sean Rueter: I'm not the biggest Dolph guy in the world, but he has to win this, right? It took him a year to get past being pooped on by Cena...they can't make him overcome the image of puckering up to Sheamus pasty-white ass, can they? Welp, mix that fear in with being unable to shake the concern that he'll get punished for going off script in that Tweet, and they have successfully created drama here for me. So I'll admit to being worked and go with my heart... Pick: Dolph Ziggler
Keith Harris: With Dolph Ziggler already playing the "frustrated, held back, little engine that could" card on Twitter, a humbling defeat here wouldn't hurt him all that much, as it plays into the worked shoot perception that he deserves better that he's trying to engender online. However, a loss for Sheamus would be really ill-timed, as it's hard to buy a bully that gets shown up the first time he's in a fair fight. Pick: Sheamus
Cain A. Knight: These guys always put on excellent matches, but the awful stipulation for this one could ruin the entire thing. I have no idea why WWE is going with a Kiss Me Arse match. I guess they are still bitter about Dolph being popular despite all of their attempts to derail him over the years. So they might as well have him kiss another man's ass and see how long it takes for him to recover from Taco Bell humiliation. WWE probably wants Sheamus to work with Cena or Bryan next, and so Ziggler's chances to win this match don't look great. Pick: Sheamus
Joshua Gagnon: Aside from the absolutely stupid "Kiss My Arse" stipulation, this match should be great. The build-up has been intense, both on-screen and on social media. I will always root Ziggler, but for the purpose of these predictions, I have to go with the mo-hawked one. WWE is looking to solidify his heel status and a win here will help with that. I know this is becoming a tired topic, but when Kane and Show are WWE's top heels, it's time to develop some other guys to fill those spots. Sheamus can easily achieve that status with a dominate run. He doesn't look stupid, people. PICK - Sheamus
Jason Martin: I can't describe adequately in words how much I hate this stipulation. On paper, this is always going to look like a good match. In the ring, this is always going to be a good match. But to know that in the end, the plan is a horrendous piece of USA Up All Night level comedy...eff that. The returned, new-look, bad ass Sheamus can't kiss a babyface's posterior and have anyone take him seriously afterward. The babyface being the ass-kisser is always a bad decision. But this whole damn stipulation reeks of out-of-touch toilet humor. Sheamus wins it, probably with a very dirty finish, because WWE values him far more than they do Ziggler. Bell to bell, we'll enjoy this one mightily. Hopefully we can forget the aftermath in years to come and just enjoy the action. Maybe they cop out on the stip, but we're not that lucky. Ugh. Pick: Sheamus
Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper
The General: This should be fun. And Ambrose should finally get a win on PPV. Pick: Ambrose
Sean Rueter: They can't both lose, can they? If they can figure out a way to do that, I bet that's what happens. Otherwise, it pretty well established at this point that Dean's not allowed to win solo matches on PPV. Pick: Luke Harper
Keith Harris: Although the build-up has been uninspired, there's a great chance that this will be the best match on the show, as the gimmick plays to the brawling strengths of both participants. Dean Ambrose is long overdue a victory on pay-per-view having not been on the winning side since the breakup of The Shield last June (which really speaks to his ability as a performer to maintain his popularity despite losing all the time). Thus, he should pick up the win here, as Harper is clearly slotted below Ambrose in WWE's pecking order. Pick: Dean Ambrose
Cain A. Knight: This is the match that will steal the show if it gets enough time. Both of these men are grossly underused and they will once again deliver high quality action while hoping that someone in the back is actually paying attention. I'm not exactly sure how Ambrose is going to get his revenge on Harper for all the devastating power bombs, but it will probably be pretty damn cool to witness. And hey, for the first time since The Shield broke up, it looks like Dean Ambrose will actually win a match on PPV. Pick: Dean Ambrose
Joshua Gagnon: Without much storyline, these two were paired together for a potential show-stealing match. Yes, "Street Fights" can turn sloppy in a hurry, but Ambrose and Harper are smart enough to plan out a match that can be both brutal, yet make sense. For Ambrose, he hasn't won a PPV match since 2014 at Payback. Granted, his loses haven't always been clean, but it's still amazing for such a popular Face to go that long without a win. Luckily for him, this is where the streak ends. It's pretty clear WWE doesn't see Harper as a top heel, but they need to keep Ambrose looking strong, just in case Creative ever decides to pair him up against Rollins again. PICK - Ambrose
Jason Martin: Here we have two brawlers who plan to go out there and just beat the hell out of each other. Neither has had almost ANY character development since Wrestlemania. They've been marginalized and semi-typecast as hardcore wrestlers in t-shirts and jeans. I'm not sure how well that bodes for either man's future in a company that loves a very select type of worker. With that said, and hopefully both can rise above perceived shortcomings, because they're two tremendous hands, this should be a very solid fight. It'll go all over the building and tables will likely be involved, maybe a ladder. The hope is simple: Both of you guys just please walk out healthy. Be careful out there, make it look good, but don't harm a career in a match that means basically nothing to WWE in terms of future planning. This is a match on the card to them. To us, it will likely be one of the best of the evening. Oh, who wins? Dean Ambrose. Luke Harper has no company protection and Ambrose is at least selling some merchandise. Again, this sounds negative, but that's just because the company has done so little to push two guys who bust their ass and it sucks. They'll shine in the Windy City. Pick: Dean Ambrose
Brass Ring Club vs. New Day
The General: The new character direction for The New Day has me wondering how much better it could be if the tag team titles were a part of the picture. I'm not sure that's the route they plan on going, however. Pick: Brass Ring Club
Sean Rueter: Masters of the Univere's fluid alignment makes this difficult, since there's no clear cut babyfaces, and that's not the only reason I'm torn. Perhaps the champs get another month with the straps to see how over they are as good guys. But I think the long-term plan with the Usos out and Kofi, Big and X proving they can get a reaction, is New Day vs. Lucha Dragons. But there's a long road ahead, and the positive trio can use a little more time to cement their gimmick tweak, so I'll go with the champs and maybe a post-match beatdown from the vanquished challengers. Pick: Cesaro & Tyson Kidd
Keith Harris: Even though The New Day are finally gaining traction as delusional heels, the way they back-doored into the title shot seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the overwhelming cheers The Brass Ring Club received in Europe, rather than a well conceived plan to push them up the tag team totem poll. WWE should ride the crest of the wave of Kidd & Cesaro's growing popularity rather than yank the brass ring out of their hands again. Pick: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
Cain A. Knight: The New Day are much more interesting with their recent heel turn, and so this match has a chance to be really fun. I think Natalya will somehow thwart Xavier's cheating attempts in this one, which will aid Cesaro and Kidd in securing the victory. And then Kidd and Cesaro can follow up on this momentum by losing matches to WWE's upper carders on Raw and Smackdown later in the week. Pick: Cesaro and Kidd
Joshua Gagnon: Kidd and Cesaro have done a nice job holding the titles, while the tag division goes through some growing pains. With The Ascension being an absolute flop, the division had little direction and was becoming a bit boring. Now, with the Lucha Dragons on the main roster and the New Day gone bad, things are getting interesting again. In regards to this match, I can't help but feel it's a holding place so Kalisto and Sin Cara can get in another month of work before working PPVs. Heel New Day is what's best for business, but they need more time in that realm before getting any chance at taking the titles. Not sure how long Cesaro and Kidd will be champions, but can't see them losing here. PICK - Brass Ring Club
Jason Martin: This should be a good one, especially if it's Kofi and Big E. Using Xavier as the brains and focusing on his strengths as a character over a worker, New Day (Sucks) is in a much better position. The match on Monday with the Lucha Dragons worked out nicely and although it wasn't completely original, I loved that finish. Kalisto and Sin Cara are waiting in the wings with a gripe for the New Day if they were to win the gold. That match takes place on Monday's RAW either way. I just don't see a Tag Title switch on the kickoff show, not here, not to the New Day, and not now. Cesaro and Kidd have built momentum and it seems the wrong time to pull the trigger. Good, competitive eight minutes or so. Pick: Cesaro and Kidd
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