Nine Harsh Realities the WWE Must Face Following Extreme Rules
So last night was, of course, the two thousand and eighteen WWE Extreme Rules pay per view and what a night it was. Sure, dividing opinion amongst the WWE Universe, the night was full of highs and lows and revealing and interesting moments. This week I have not one but two Reviews for this four hours show and today we are going to be focusing on nine harsh realities the WWE Must face following the Extreme Rules pay per view! Later this week we will be diving into the highlight moments so keep an eye out for that! For now, any recent blog posts will also be linked at the very end!
Not Very Extreme
One of the main issued so many fans brought up across social media last night focused around the theme of the pay per view and the general whole point of the show; Extreme Rules. Believe it or not but there was, in fact, a time where this pay per view had a place, a meaning, and worked, twenty eighteen, however, isn’t that time. With A lack of matches on the card under “Extreme Rules” and those that were lacking such versatility and originality, it became clear once again that this just isn’t a pay per view that works anymore. Blood, intensity, and sheer barbaric action isn’t something fans of the WWE today can expect to see for any WWE show (arguably aside from NXT occasionally) and so within the next twelve months its clear the WWE must consider binning the pay per view or allowing this to be a special night in which Rules really are extreme.
Woken Matt is Canceled
Okay, so the Woken Matt idea may not be officially “canceled” but at this point, it may as well be. Believe me when I say I wanted this to work. The Broken gimmick Matt worked prior to his return to the WWE was so captivating, so well done and received, I wanted this to work in the WWE and it had all the potential to but the company just haven’t got it right from the get-go and after Matt and Wyatt dropped their titles to the B- Team last night things are not looking good for either superstar especially Matt and there is huge debate and conversation regarding whether or not its too late to save the Woken Matt Idea and whether or no Matt can and will bounce back.
Less Really is more
Tying in with a previous point made today, the Extreme Rules pay per view highlighted a general problem the WWE face and continue t struggle to realise and that simply is the understanding that Less is more. We’ve touched on this before especially in my Money in the bank review, but the card last night was jam-packed full of matches fans genuinely had zero interest in. Take Corbin vs Balor as a prime example. Of course, the PPV did consist of those bouts audiences worldwide paid to see including Rollins vs Ziggler however, there were so many that genuinely could have been saved for either an episode of RAW or Smackdown LIVE. If a story hasn’t grabbed fan attention, generated a big reaction or truly worked then don’t put it on pay per view. Fans will appreciate it far more and the show will work as a far greater success if the night was shorter yet full of longer and more must-see bouts. The very reason this show had so much unwanted and unnecessary content made the night feel weak, at times dull and not worth watching.
Time for Full Time
Within the first hour of the Extreme Rules, PPV Kurt Angle took part in a backstage interview where he stated that if Lesnar did not show up to RAW this week and show commitment to the Universal Championship then he would be stripped of the title. The statement alone had fans in the arena louder than they had been all night and it highlighted a key point so many have been making for so long; We need and want a full-time champion. There always has been and to this day is a great story to be told regarding Lesnar not showing up and proving he is committed to the title however, it has got to the point where fans are bored of it. We want to see a fighting champion and with a stacked roster full of so much talent and so many potential champions its time for Lesnar to step up or step out and time for a full-time champion.
Where is the respect for Champions?
If you follow me over on twitter you will know that one of my wrestling pet peeves is when Champions are not brought to the ring last. It’s a small thing that really does bother me and something the WWE has got worse with as time has gone by. In my opinion, its so key the champion is brought to the ring last and we didn’t see that very much at all last night. From tag team action to the US Title picture, the champion entered first, and this is a decision that takes away so much from the champion and the title.
The Women’s Division is a Mess
Okay, so that title may just be a tad bit harsh, but I have to be honest and say I didn’t enjoy much of what we got from the women’s division last night during the Extreme Rules pay per view. For a four-hour show, both matches were far too short, the Smackdown LIVE Women’s Championship match had the wrong ending in the eyes of many and there is a general messy feeling to the entire division. It’s little things including using the entire division more instead of focusing on just the championship story (the blue brand especially) and using stars like Mickie James and Natalya so poorly when they could work a far greater feud on their own. Little changes most certainly need to be made in the coming weeks.
The Last two Matches Stole the Show
Let’s be honest, the Extreme Rules pay per view wasn’t a PPV highlight of the year. So many matches could have been done a lot better, but we also should have seen less on the card, longer bouts, and more matches that focused on the Extreme Rules concept. With that in mind, it’s evident that the last two matches of the night not only went on to steal the show but saved it. They were the two matches everyone was most excited for and it's clear why. Without these two bouts, a heck of a lot of backlash would be on the doorstep of the WWE.
Standout Talent Must Continue Their Run of Momentum
And the final point I really wanted to make today focuses around the standout talent. The WWE put a lot of faith and the guys hardcore fans cannot get enough and have expressed great admiration for. Rusev getting a WWE Championship match, Kevin Owens working a steel Cage bout against Strowman, Lashley scoring the victory over Reigns, and of course, Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler taking the main event slot. All of these superstars were so incredibly worthy of the push they have been getting and every single one of these superstars had a fantastic performance last night, however, it is key that their run of momentum continues.
Fans want to see Lashley go on to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship and after his win last night its something the WWE must go ahead with! Rusev had an excellent performance and came so close to scoring the biggest victory of his career and while I didn’t walk out with the championship he gained even more respect from fans! He may not get another title opportunity at any time soon but it's vital the WWE don’t give up on him, keep pushing, and allow his momentum to remain strong! And then, of course, Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins who completely stole the show. I’ve mentioned I’m not a Ziggler fan but he had an excellent performance last night that must see him and McIntyre go on to do even stronger things in the coming week. As for Rollins, he remains the guy to beat especially after his amazing effort this past Sunday.
And that was Extreme Rules twenty eighteen! What did you think? Let me know down in the comments below or tweet me over at @TezangiVictoria what your honest thoughts on this months WWE Pay per view were and your rating for the overall show 😊
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