WWE Extreme Rules 2022 top results

0 out of 6

Heading into WWE Extreme Rules, the card looked like a C-level show with some bells and whistles added to distract from what was missing.

There were only two titles on the line and big-name superstars like Roman Reigns and The Bloodline were missing, but the lineup was set to feature plenty of gimmicks and stipulations to compensate.

The ingredients might have been messy, but the recipe produced a pretty remarkable show with some big moments that will have big consequences in the future.

Let’s take a look back at what happened on Saturday and break down the night’s top takeaways.

Liv Morgan is over, but not enough to overcome Ronda Rousey’s star power

2 of 6

The Wells Fargo Center was full of jeers as Ronda Rousey controlled the SmackDown Women’s Championship match, as the crowd was firmly behind Liv Morgan from the start.

Morgan entered the game looking more star-studded than ever, wearing a purple and green ring and a decorated baseball bat to match the night’s theme. Against any other opponent, it would have been a shoot-in to retain his title.

She put up a good fight and wasn’t even properly introduced—instead, she passed out and the ref called the match—but all the booing didn’t stop a new SmackDown Women’s Champion from being crowned.

WWE @WWE

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Morgan’s run with the belt never got out of the “lucky to have won it in the first place” range, and dropping it back to the former UFC star is business as usual and back to the original plan after a short detour.

At this point, it looks like Rousey is too big of a star for WWE to hold off on as champion heading into WrestleMania 39, while Morgan will have to step back and find a new role to play as a fan favorite which is no longer in season. title scene.

Karrion Kross is back on track

3 out of 6

When Karrion Kross was originally called up to the main roster, it was a disaster.

Almost everything that made him interesting in NXT was removed. Instead of being unbeaten, he lost his debut match. Instead of walking into the ring with a creepy entrance, he looked like a Demolition cosplayer.

Since returning to WWE in August, it has felt like a fresh start for The Herald of Doomsday. And this match is the true beginning of a re-edition.

With Scarlett at his side, his proper entrance with a great look and sound, and a big win over Drew McIntyre, this is Karrion Kross giving off the vibe of a future main eventer.

WWE @WWE

Time is up because pic.twitter.com/Ke7Lp0Zo9c

Although he won the match with the help of Scarlett and some pepper spray, he took the fight to The Scottish Warrior in a way that few others on the roster can. If McIntyre had hit the Claymore, it might have been over, but there’s no guarantee Kross wouldn’t have kicked out.

That level of credibility is what it needs to keep gaining momentum.

This was a huge step in the right direction towards reestablishing Kross as the mastermind he was as NXT Champion.

Bianca Belair has reached the top of the WWE Women’s Division

4 out of 6

The Four Horsemen have dominated the WWE Women’s Division for years, allowing only a handful of other Superstars to even glimpse the upper echelon.

Even the likes of Rhea Ripley and Asuka tend to take a step back from those four, with Ronda Rousey possibly the only exception … until Bianca Belair cemented her main event status on Saturday night.

The WWE EST has taken down Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 37, eliminated Becky Lynch at The Show of Shows and SummerSlam this year, and now has the most definitive win of her career over Bayley.

WWE @WWE

What a performance from The EST of WWE! pic.twitter.com/508ZnnYt9z

Even with the help of Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, Bayley was unable to capture the title. Belair didn’t need help from allies Alexa Bliss, Raquel Rodriguez, Shotzi or anyone else. By herself, she was able to take CTRL out of harm’s way and retain her title.

This win doesn’t mean more on paper than her Royal Rumble and title wins, but it does illustrate that even with the odds stacked against her, the 33-year-old has what it takes to beat anyone of the four horsemen. It is firmly on par with, if not yet surpassed, them.

The only one of the quartet left to face Belair is Charlotte Flair, which looks like a WrestleMania title match if ever there was one.

Doomsday finally becomes truly sinister

5 of 6

The whole mystique of The Judgment Day is supposed to be that they’re a dark force that “runs Monday Night Raw” with their anger and evil, but their bark has been far worse than their bite.

Drafting Finn Bálor after losing the night before was a weak move. Excommunicating Edge only made The Rated-R Superstar his arch-rival, rather than a smart move. Turning into Dominik Mysterio has been more laughable than intimidating.

Finally, however, The Judgment Day has shown that they have a sinister side.

Teaming up with Edge is nothing new for them, but forcing him to quit because of a threat to throw out his wife, Beth Phoenix, with a scam, only to stick with it anyway, was the best possible way to finish. this match

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Edge’s loss is only on a technicality, so it retains its credibility. Bálor’s victory is legitimate, since everything was within the rules. Being crafty and crafty is what this group should have been all about from the start.

This win did more for Bálor and The Judgment Day as a whole than anything since the group’s inception. It may be a sign of bigger things to come.

The ‘White Rabbit’ stole the show

6 out of 6

Above all else in this event, the biggest talking point will be the return of Bray Wyatt.

All of the “White Rabbit” teases in recent weeks pointed to someone of an otherworldly nature, making Wyatt the prime suspect, but you can never guarantee anything in WWE until you see it for yourself. yourselves

As Matt Riddle celebrated his victory over Seth Rollins, the lights went down at the Wells Fargo Center, Wyatt’s rendition of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and life-size versions of the Firefly Fun House puppets played they appeared in the crowd. .

Fans erupted when they saw Wyatt appear from a doorway, turning off the flashlight as the TV channel cut.

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WHAT HAVE WE WITNESSED?! pic.twitter.com/YQ6Cxzk2gS

Wyatt has had his fair share of ups and downs in WWE with a history of starting a storyline, driving it for months and having it end badly, but there’s always something interesting about this character.

Maybe now that he’s working with new creative management in Triple H, all the aspects will finally click and we’ll have the modern version of The Undertaker that we’ve been wanting all these years, starting with this incredible reintroduction.

Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, Spotify and everywhere else you find podcasts. You can follow it Facebook and elsewhere for more.