WWE’s annual Extreme Rules PPV is this weekend, and with the event dating all the way back to 2009, there have been some interesting facts that have come out of the one night a year where anything goes.
So sit back and treat yourself to ten interesting facts from the history of Extreme Rules.
ONE: Box of Gimmicks?
As you would expect there has been a lot of gimmick matches at the Extreme Rules PPV, and this year is no different. Did you know there have been over 40 different match types over the years?
The most common is obviously a singles match, but the most used gimmick match is a cage match, used seven times.
TWO: Top to Bottom
There is no denying The Miz is a workhorse and is always ready to do whatever is needed in his feuds, but he owns a (not so great) Extreme Rules record. He is the only superstar to main event one year PPV and be on the kick-off show a year later.
In 2011, The Miz lost his WWE Championship to John Cena in a main event cage match, then in 2012, he lost on the kick-off show against Santino Marella in an effort to win the U.S Championship.
THREE: Only Twice
Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler at Extreme Rules 2018 was the first time since 1992 that an Intercontinental Championship match main evented a PPV. The 1992 match was at Summer Slam in Wembley Stadium in the UK, between British Bulldog and Bret Hart. Although an argument could be made that it happened in 2001 when they unified the World Heavyweight Championship and Intercontinental Championship.
The reason for this was simple, Vince McMahon wasn’t in the building and Triple H thought it would make a better ending to the show.
FOUR: Marathon Match (sort of)
Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper (sort of) wrestled for almost an hour. In 2015 Dean Ambrose vs Luke Harper in a Chicago Street Fight opened the PPV and would end a marathon 56 minutes later.
Granted they weren’t in the ring that whole time, they hit each other with everything and even had a bit of a car chase in the middle, but this match still holds the record for the longest match in Extreme Rules history.
FIVE: Not Paid by the Hour
While we are talking match length the shortest match was Jeff Hardy vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the U.S Championship in 2018, coming in at a record 6 seconds!
Nakamura would hit Hardy with a low blow before the bell rang, and didn’t need to do much else to get the pin, and set a new record in the process.
SIX: One Time Only
Although Rusev is no longer with WWE, Extreme Rules must hold a special place in his career highlights. At Extreme Rules, 2018 Rusev challenged AJ Styles for the WWE Championship.
This would actually be Rusev’s one and only WWE Championship shot, in his WWE run. This is crazy to think about the amount of talent the future Miro has, hopefully, this won’t be a stat in his new home.
SEVEN: Win. Defend. Lose. Repeat
The cycle of a champion is usually the same, win the tiles, defend the title, lose the title. Amazingly Kofi Kingston has done all of these with the same championship, and at the same PPV.
At Extreme Rules 2011 Kingston won the U.S Championship. At Extreme Rules 2009 he successfully defended the U.S Championship, and at 2013’s Extreme Rules PPV he lost his U.S Championship. The dates may not match up, but this is still an impressive feat.
EIGHT: One Man’s Ratings
Although Extreme Rules is not considered to be an ‘A’ PPV, that doesn’t mean there can’t be some great matches. Each of the main events from 2009 – 2012 received four stars or over from Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Extreme Rules 2009: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy – 4.25
Extreme Rules 2010: John Cena vs. Batista – 4.25
Extreme Rules 2011: The Miz vs. John Cena vs. John Morrison – 4
Extreme Rules 2012: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar – 4.5
NINE: A Decade Without The Deadman
There is obviously a list of superstars who have minimal appearances at certain PPV’s but maybe one of the most shocking is The Undertaker seemingly being ‘one and done’ at Extreme Rules PPVs.
What’s interesting is the Extreme Rules PPV was 10 years old before The Deadman had a match, and even then it was a ‘strange bedfellows’ tag team match with Roman Reigns.
TEN: Another Box of Gimmicks?
As you would expect there have been many different gimmick matches at Extreme Rules PPV’s over the years, but some you could call more superstar specific than others. Some of the most unusual are, The Samoan Strap Match, The Tag Team Country Whipping Match, The Handicap Hog Pen Match, The Extreme Makeover Match, The Russian Chain Match, The Ambrose Asylum Match, The Kiss My Ass Match and who could forget the WeeLC Match.
That was our ten interesting facts about Extreme Rules, how many did you already know? If you have an interesting fact you want to share, let us know below or tweet us @SLTDWrestling.
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