By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Extreme Rules
Aired September 26, 2021 live on Peacock, WWE Network, and pay-per-view
Live from Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Arena
WWE Extreme Rules Kickoff Show result: Liv Morgan beat Carmella in 7:52.
The main card opened with an Extreme Rules video package… Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. “New Day” Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods vs. Bobby Lashley, AJ Styles, and Omos. The Raw broadcast team of Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton called the match. Several minutes into the match, Woods made a hot tag to Big E, who performed a pair of big suplexes on Styles and knocked Omos off the apron with a few shots.
Big E performed another suplex on Styles and then splashed him. Big E stood up and led the crowd in a “New Day Rocks” chant rather than go for the cover. Styles came back with an overhead kick. Styles charged Big E in the corner. Big E tried to catch him for a uranage slam, but Styles landed in the corner and then E had to power him up to perform the move.
Styles dodged Big E going for his spear through the ropes and rolled him into a pin for a two count. Styles stood on the second rope and fired punches at Big E. Kingston hit Styles with a kick and then tagged into the match. Kingston performed a double stomp on Styles and went for the pin, but Lashley broke it up.
Lashley charged Kingston, who leapt over him, causing Lashley to tumble to ringside. Kingston sent Styles over the top rope to the floor. Big E tagged in and launched Kingston toward the heels, but Omos swatted Kingston in mid-air. In the ring, Lashley hit a Flatliner on Big E and then set up for a spear, but Styles tagged himself into the match.
Styles went for a springboard move and Lashley tagged himself back into the match. Big E dodged the Styles springboard move. Lashley tried to spear Big E, who moved, causing Lashley to spear Styles instead. Big E hit The Big Ending on Lashley and pinned him…
“New Day” Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods defeated Bobby Lashley, AJ Styles, and Omos in roughly 18:15.
Powell’s POV: I had some streaming issues during the opening minutes of the match. Speaking of technical glitches, Peacock seems to have solved the problem of having the English and Spanish audio feeds playing simultaneously. Anyway, the match was well worked and entertaining. It’s crazy that this wasn’t advertised in advance. I’m surprised that Big E pinned Lashley again since he’s the obvious number one contender. Is this a sign that Big E and Lashley won’t end up on the same brand? Yes, I will be overanalyzing match finishes due to the upcoming draft!
Becky Lynch was shown setting her title belt down backstage and then taping up her wrists…
2. Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs. “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins for the Smackdown Tag Titles. The Smackdown broadcast team of Michael Cole and Pat McAfee called the match. Greg Hamilton was the Smackdown ring announcer. Ford had his ribs wrapped to sell the effects of his loss to Roman Reigns on Friday’s Smackdown television show. The Usos isolated Ford early while targeting his ribs.
Ford avoided Jey going for a corner splash and made the hot tag to Dawkins around 6:00. Jimmy attempted a dive onto Dawkins at ringside, but Dawkins suplexed him and then hit Jey when he tried for a suicide dive. Ford tagged in and performed a Blockbuster Doomsday Device on Jimmy for a near fall. Dawkins tagged in again and took a double team Dominator from the Usos.
Dawkins crawled to his corner, but Ford was down at ringside. However, Ford made a blind tag and went for a top rope frogsplash, but Jey put his knees up. The Profits went for another double team move, but Jey slipped away. Jimmy tagged in and performed a top rope splash on Dawkins for a near fall.
The Uso ran Dawkins into the ringside barricade. Ford performed a flip dive over the ring post onto both Usos. Ford rolled Jey back inside the ring and then performed a top rope frogsplash and had the pin, but Jimmy returned to the ring to break it up at the last moment.
Jimmy tagged in. The Usos went for a double superkick, but Dawkins pushed Ford out of the way and took the superkicks instead. Ford had a hope spot, but the Usos came right back with a double superkick and then a double top rope splash. Jimmy covered Ford and pinned him…
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso defeated “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins in 13:45 to retain the Smackdown Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: A really fun tag team match. There wasn’t much reason to think that the Profits were going to win the tag titles to start with, but you had to know they were going to lose when Ford showed up with his ribs wrapped.
Backstage, Bobby Lashley called Big E a chickenshit for the way he used the Money in the Bank contract to win the title and then for the way he beat him in the six-man tag match. Lashley challenged Big E to give him a title match…
3. Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship. Smith, Graves, and Saxton were on the call. Bliss set the Lilly doll on top of one of the turnbuckles. Mike Rome delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Bliss got off to a fast start and went for a DDT, but Flair avoided it. Bliss sent Flair to ringside and then performed a cannonball dive onto her.
Flair took offensive control once they returned to the ring. Bliss performed a jawbreaker, but Flair caught her with a kick and then powered Bliss onto her back. Bliss sat up in electric chair position and executed a huracanrana that sent Flair’s face into the bottom turnbuckle pad. Flair came right back with a backbreaker and then slammed Bliss’s ace into the corner.
Flair went up top, but Bliss pulled her down and Flair’s face hit the top turnbuckle pad. Bliss sent Flair to the floor with a dropkick. Bliss went for an awkward move under the bottom rope, but Flair caught her and then swung her into the ringside barricade. Flair rolled Bliss back inside the ring and covered her three times with each resulting in two counts.
Bliss caught Flair in an inside cradle for a two count. Flair came right back and went for a moonsault the Bliss avoided, but Flair landed on her feet and followed up with a standing moonsault for a near fall. Bliss rallied and sold some back pain. Flair powered up Bliss and slammed her to the mat for a near fall. Flair expressed disbelief over not getting the pin.
Flair went up top and performed a moonsault into the feet of Bliss, who followed up with a Code Red sunset bomb for a near fall. Bliss sold back pain again. Bliss went up top slowly for her finisher. Flair got her knees. Bliss stomped her and then went up top again and went for Twisted Bliss, but Flair rolled out of the way.
Flair went for a figure four, but Bliss countered into an inside cradle for a two count. Bliss put Flair down with a DDT and had her pinned, but Flair put her foot on the bottom rope to break the count. Flair pulled Lilly down and tossed her at Bliss, then hit her with a big boot to the head. Flair ran Bliss through the ropes and into the ring post. Flair followed up with a Natural Selection and scored the clean pin…
Charlotte Flair defeated Alexa Bliss in 11:25 to retain the Raw Women’s Championship.
After the match, Flair tossed Bliss to ringside and then brought the Lilly doll back inside the ring and tore it apart while yelling that it was just a stupid doll. Flair held up her title belt and what was left of the stupid doll. Bliss attacked Flair and cleared her from the ring. Bliss dove onto Flair and threw punches at her at ringside. Flair rallied and tossed Bliss over the broadcast table.
Flair headed to the back. Bliss recovered and got a nice round of applause from the crowd as she stood on the broadcast table and screamed while pulling her own hair. Bliss entered the ring and looked distraught over the stupid doll’s demise. Bliss acted emotional. The crowd hilariously chanted, “Thank you, Lilly.” Bliss screamed and then carried the unstuffed portion of the doll to the stage. She appeared to have something in her mouth as she sat down and screamed again…
Powell’s POV: God bless you, Charlotte Flair for destroying that ridiculous doll!!! Okay, so they’ll probably just bring it back again on Raw, but it was nice to see a straight forward title match without any of the Lilly nonsense. It looked like Bliss had a tablet of some kind in her mouth after the match. I think the idea was that she was supposed to foam at the mouth, but it didn’t cooperate.
After some advertising, Paul Heyman was shown speaking on the phone about the WWE Draft. Kayla Braxton snuck up on him and asked who was on the phone. Heyman dished out some insults and then assumed that she thought he was talking to Brock Lesnar. The Usos arrived and were celebrating their victory, so Heyman blew off Braxton to join them…
4. Damian Priest vs. Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy in a Triple Threat for the U.S. Championship. Smith, Graves, and Saxton were on the call. Sheamus, who wore his face shield, immediately blasted Hardy with a kick that sent him to ringside when the bell rang. Priest and Sheamus fought to ringside. Hardy returned to the match by diving off the apron onto Priest. Hardy performed a similar dive onto Sheamus a few moments later.
Sheamus ran Priest into the ring post. In the ring, Sheamus gave Hardy an Irish Curse backbreaker. Sheamus mugged for the booing crowd before putting the boots to Hardy. Priest tried to return, but Sheamus saw him coming and sent him back to the floor with a kick. Sheamus performed a power slam on Hardy. Sheamus tried to club Priest with his shots to the chest, but Priest cut him off. Priest fell off the apron and quickly recovered and went right back after Sheamus. Oops.
Hardy returned and had Sheamus pinned until Priest broke it up. Hardy hit both opponents with a double Whisper in the Wind. Hardy covered Sheamus for a two count. Sheamus came back with an Alabama Slam on Hardy for a two count. Sheamus, who was no longer wearing the face shield, put Hardy in a Cloverleaf. Priest returned to the ring.
There was an awkward spot with Hardy and Priest that resulted in both men falling down. When they got up, Hardy hit the Twist of Fate he was attempting before they fell. Hardy went up top for his finisher, but Sheamus pushed him onto the ropes. Sheamus climbed up top and mocked Hardy’s mannerisms before dropping a knee on Priest, which led to a near fall.
Sheamus heeled it up for the crowd and then went for his finisher, but Priest avoided it. Sheamus put him down with a kick and went to the ropes. Priest grabbed Sheamus by the throat and tossed him across the ring. Priest went for the pin, but Hardy executed a Swanton Bomb onto the back of Priest to break it up.
Priest got the better of an exchange Hardy and went for a springboard move, but Sheamus shoved Hardy out of the way and blasted Priest with a knee. Hardy shoved Sheamus to ringside and covered Priest for a near fall. Sheamus returned to the ring and blasted Hardy with a Brogue Kick, but Priest rolled up Sheamus and pinned him.
Damian Priest defeated Sheamus and Jeff Hardy in 13:25 in a Triple Threat to retain the U.S. Championship.
After the match, Priest and Hardy shook hands while Sheamus was shown seething near the entrance set. Priest acknowledged a fan sign regarding his birthday…
Powell’s POV: A good mach despite a couple of clunky moments that both involved Priest. It’s worth nothing that a vocal portion of the crowd was pulling for Hardy over Priest, but the fans seemed satisfied by the result and the post match handshake.
Backstage, Big E delivered a promo and mocked Lashley for saying he wasn’t ready. Big E told him to get his ass ready when he comes to the ring at 8ET sharp for their title match…
After an ad, Cole and McAfee announced Big E vs. Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship for the opening segment on Monday’s Raw. They recapped footage of Liv Morgan beating Carmella on the Kickoff Show…
Powell’s POV: A big public thanks to John Moore for filling in for me on Extreme Rules Kickoff Show coverage so that I could watch the end of the Minnesota Vikings game. The Purple won’t be the first ever 0-17 team in NFL history! Well, at least not this season.
A video package set up the Smackdown Women’s Championship match…
5. Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Cole and McAfee called the match. Hamilton delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Lynch offered a handshake. Belair charged Lynch, who ducked it, and hoisted her up for her finisher, but Belair escaped and sent for a KOD that Lynch escaped. There were dueling chants of “Let’s Go Becky” and “EST” with the chants for Lynch sounding louder.
Lynch took offensive control. Belair eventually rallied with a suplex that left both women down. Belair performed another suplex a short time later and then rolled through and hoisted up Lynch for a “Davey Boy Delight” suplex, as McAfee labeled it. Belair stood over Lynch in the corner and fired punches at her while the crowd counted along. Lynch slipped under Belair and tried to pull her braid. Belair won the tug-o-war and performed a spinebuster for a two count.
Belair performed a fallaway slam. Cole actually claimed JBL made the fallaway slam famous. Sigh. Lynch rolled to the ropes so that Belair couldn’t pin her. Belair pressed Lynch over her head. Lynch slipped away and applied the Disarmer, but Belair reached the ropes to break the hold. Lynch came back and performed a top rope leg drop for a near fall.
Lynch positioned Belair over the middle rope and then performed a second rope leg drop. McAfee said he’d never seen these moves from Lynch, so there’s no way Belair could have prepared for what Lynch was doing. Lynch went for the Manhandle Slam, but Belair escaped. Belair powered Lynch up and slammed her to the mat and covered her for a close near fall.
A short time later, Lynch made a play for the Disarmer again. Belair powered her up and put her in position for the KOD. Before she could execute the move, Sasha Banks ran in and attacked her for the disqualification.
Bianca Belair defeated Becky Lynch by DQ in 16:30 in a Smackdown Women’s Championship match.
After the match, Lynch sheepishly tried to make nice with Banks, who ended up laying out the champion and her challenger with Bank Statements. Banks stood over the Smackdown Women’s Championship and then left the ring. Banks backed up the ramp and said she would see Belair and Lynch on Friday…
Powell’s POV: A very entertaining match until the finish. I’m not even bothered by the cheap finish, mostly because I never got my hopes up for a clean finish at this point in the feud. I’d love to see a Four Horsewomen faction with Lynch, Banks, Bayley, and Charlotte Flair someday, but they’re obviously not going there now.
Cole hyped Big E vs. Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship as kicking off Monday’s Raw television show… Included in some advertising was one for Broken Skull Sessions with Steve Austin interviewing Seth Rollins airing right after Extreme Rules… A video package set up the main event… Roman Reigns made his long entrance followed by The Demon entrance. Cole said The Demon has never lost in WWE…
Powell’s POV: Yes, Samoa Joe defeated The Demon in NXT, but I guess they’re not counting that as a WWE match, just like they stopped including Charlotte Flair’s NXT Championships in her title count.
6. Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) vs. “The Demon” Finn Balor in an Extreme Rules match for the WWE Universal Championship. Cole and McAfee called the match. Early in the match, Reigns went to ringside and pulled a kendo stick out from underneath the ring. Reigns turned and was surprised that he didn’t see The Demon, who emerged from ringside with a batch of kendo sticks that were taped together. Demon worked over Reigns with the sticks briefly.
Later, Demon pulled a table out from underneath the ring and slid it inside the ring, which drew a big pop from the crowd that had been calling for them throughout the night. Reigns immediately blasted him with a sliding kick. Reigns tossed Demon over the barricade. Reigns got a medical mask from Heyman and put it on before brawling into the crowd.
Back inside the ring, Demon took control and set up the table, but Reigns ended up performing a uranage slam that drove Demon through it. Reigns covered Demon for a near fall. Reigns and Demon traded shots. Demon hit an overhead kick, but Reigns came right back with a Superman Punch and got a near fall.
Heyman got Reigns worked up about being the Head of the Table. Reigns told the crowd “all day, every single day.” Reigns set up for a spear, but Demon caught him with a kick. Demon set up to charge Reigns, who speared him and covered him for a close near fall. The replay showed that Demon low-blowed Reigns when he lifted his arm, just as Reigns did to him on Smackdown.
Balor performed a running dropkick that sent Reigns to the floor. Demon performed a flip dive onto Reigns and then tossed him back inside the ring. Demon hit the Coup De Grace and had the pin, but one of the Usos pulled him to ringside. Jimmy and Jey Uso worked over Demon and gave him a double superkick.
The Usos pulled out another table and set it up on the floor. They tried to slam Demon through it, but he recovered and fought them off. Demon powered up Jey and slammed him through the broadcast table. Demon turned and ate a spear from Reigns, who drove him into the timekeepers area. A “holy shit” chant broke out.
The lights started to flicker and heartbeat sounds could be heard while they used red lighting and smoke. Demon shot right up while Cole said he’d been resurrected. The Demon beat Reigns with a chair and then dropkicked him onto and through the table on the floor. Demon tossed Reigns inside the ring. Demon went up top as his music played. The top rope broke and then the lighting returned to normal while Demon sold a left knee injury. Reigns speared and pinned Demon.
Roman Reigns defeated “The Demon” Finn Balor in an Extreme Rules match in 19:45 to retain the WWE Universal Championship.
Afterward, Reigns, Heyman, and the Usos celebrated as replays of the ropes collapsing were shown. Cole hyped the WWE Championship match for Raw and then The Bloodline left the ring and was heading to the back as the show concluded…
Powell’s POV: The Demon becoming a babyface Fiend isn’t for me. I enjoyed the overall match enough that the last couple minutes didn’t completely ruin it, but that was definitely pushing it. On the bright side, they went above and beyond to protect The Demon persona even though Balor took the moss. But you had to know Reigns was going over given his upcoming matches with Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel and the teased match with Big E at Survivor Series.
Overall, a decent event for a non “Big Four” show. It wasn’t a very newsworthy show in that there were no title changes or big storyline developments, so I can see how it would be underwhelming to someone who expected more. I just never got my expectations up for this to be more than a solid night of wrestling. Jake Barnett and I will team up for tonight’s Dot Net Members’ exclusive audio review of Extreme Rules. Let us know what you thought of the show by grading it and voting for the best match below.
Pro Wrestling Boom Live returns Monday at 3CT/4ET. Jonny Fairplay and I will be taking your pro wrestling calls live at PWAudio.net.
Am I the only one getting both Spanish and English at the same time?
Nope!
It’s happening to me too!
I might have to watch this on mute..lol
The production foul up with both language streams is pathetic
Peacock does not have their shit together at all
Seriously. This is the second time the ring intros have been interrupted by commercial
Sounds like you all were Peacucked again!
I’m happy I wasn’t the only one with audio issues… It’s getting so hard to watch
It’s amazing during that after all WWE has done to push Jeff Hardy down the card as much as possible, he’s still so over. He was about the only one being cheered for during that match, even when he was laying on the outside.
Solid show. Every match stood out. Another layer added to the bloodline. Hopefully balor moves to raw. He needs to be a main champion.
“ridiculous doll!!! That Doll is selling at the merch stands so I doubt it will go away anytime soon.
That doesn’t make it any less ridiculous. People once bought a product called My Pet Rock. Just because it sold doesn’t mean the idea of paying good money for a freaking rock wasn’t absurd.
First PPV I have missed since cancelling WWE Network. There were some I wouldn’t really watch, but this is the only one I don’t have the option of watching. And you know what, I am fine with it.
I have been a fan since the first WrestleMania. I always bought the hype Vince and company were able to generate. Nowadays though, there is nothing there. Repetitive, dull, and scripted are the three words I would use to describe WWE programming.
Hopefully in the future WWE is able to pull themselves out of what I believe is a lousy situation (yes, I know they are doing well financially) and create a reason for me to tune in again.
Was that a heel thing with Reigns putting on the mask or did he actually feel that he needed it?
It was a babyface move in my book.
I think there is a pandemic or something. He is actually a real person with a compromised immune system.