WWE Extreme Rules 2019 is coming to you live out of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this Sunday, July 14th, on the WWE Network. We’ve got the match card, as well as our predictions and overall thoughts on the show for you to check out below. Let us know what you think is going to happen during Extreme Rules by tweeting us, @TheRumbleRamble.
Drew Gulak (c) vs. Tony Nese
Cruiserweight Championship Match
Drew Gulak has already defeated Tony Nese once, emerging victorious from a triple threat match between himself, Tony, and Akira Tozawa and becoming the new Cruiserweight Champion.
But, of course, Tony Nese deserves one last shot against Drew Gulak, and will receive it this Sunday. Things won’t go exactly as Tony Nese hopes, however, as Drew Gulak will retain the title, cementing his reign as Cruiserweight Champion and ring in the new era of 205 Live.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Match
This pick is made under the assumption that Finn Bálor is at 100%; obviously, if he’s injured, this could be a way to get the title off of him. But, assuming The Demon King is feeling just fine, this is the perfect time for him to get payback for Shinsuke Nakamura’s brutal beatdown on SmackDown.
Not that he’ll completely crush Nakamura, but he will retain his Intercontinental Championship, hopefully leading to a Summerslam feud, because, who wouldn’t want that?
Winner: Finn Bálor
Ricochet (c) vs. AJ Styles
United States Championship Match
This match was set as a result of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson’s unrelenting attempts to pull AJ Styles back to his old wicked ways. Styles took the high road as long as he could, but eventually relented, attacking Ricochet backstage before using every trick in the book to wear him down ahead of the pay-per-view.
Ricochet has overcome everything The Club has thrown at him thus far, but won’t be quite so lucky at Extreme Rules. No doubt with a little help from his friends, AJ Styles will become the new United States Champion.
Winner: AJ Styles
Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross
SmackDown Women’s Championship Handicap Match
In true Alexa Bliss fashion, she has proven that she is willing to do absolutely anything to get what she wants; including manipulating Nikki Cross into doing most of the work for her.
Bayley has been doing her best to show Nikki that Alexa isn’t a true friend, but Nikki has ignored every warning she’s received. But Nikki and Alexa’s bond isn’t strong enough to defeat The Huggable One. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Bayley get a leg up from a friend of her own to get her there.
Winner: Bayley
Aleister Black vs. Cesaro
Ever since the partnership between himself and Ricochet dissolved, Aleister Black has been patiently (and then not so patiently) awaiting a challenger. Sitting in a dark room alone, dressed very formally for one reason or another, Aleister demanded that someone throw down the gauntlet.
And just when he thought he had been waiting in vain all that time, Cesaro came knocking. Cesaro has been busy making a name for himself as a singles competitor lately, but his winning streak will be thrown off track when he steps in the ring with The Dutch Destroyer.
Winner: Aleister Black
The Revival vs. The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship Match
The Revival and The Usos have been in a heated rivalry for months now, evolving from “lighthearted” pranks to hard-hitting in-ring action. Dawson and Dash reached the summit of the Raw Tag Division back in June, and a month-long reign just isn’t enough for the best tag team on the planet.
The Usos will come close to bringing down The Revival, but Dash and Dawson’s no-nonsense approach will carry them to victory, allowing them to maintain their champion status.
Winner: The Revival
Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley
Last Man Standing Match
Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley’s rivalry escalated quickly, from arm wrestling straight to launching each other through the screens surrounding the stage on Raw, leading to both men “requiring medical attention.”
A repeat of that epic moment may be on the horizon, as Bobby and Braun will face off once more, this time under Last Man Standing stipulations. And as neither man walked away from their previous encounter, this could go either way, but we’re going with the Monster Among Men.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler
To say Dolph Ziggler has been desperate to show everyone that he should be the one in the main title picture with the belt around his waist would be an understatement. In fact, Ziggler has been so distressed by his own shortcomings that he has allowed his emotions to get the better of him at every turn, bringing him further and further away from a championship.
And with the roll Kevin Owens has been on lately, picking a fight with him probably wasn’t the best move, as Ziggler is, of course, out to win. At Extreme Rules, Ziggler will suffer a defeat once again, moving Kevin Owens another step up the ladder toward top guy.
Winner: Kevin Owens
The Undertaker and Roman Reigns vs. Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre
No Holds Barred Match
Shane McMahon has had a vendetta against Roman Reigns for quite some time now, and it looks like the feud may be coming to a head at Extreme Rules. To give it an even bigger fight feel, The Undertaker has taken up arms against Shane O’Mac and Drew McIntyre, evening the odds in favor of The Big Dog.
Though the No Holds Barred stipulation certainly plays to Shane and Drew’s strengths, the devastating duo of Roman Reigns and The Undertaker will simply be too much for them in the end.
Winner: Roman Reigns and Undertaker
Daniel Bryan and Rowan (c) vs. The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) vs. Heavy Machinery
SmackDown Live Tag Team Championship Match
There is no question that The New Day and Heavy Machinery, despite sharing a love of tomfoolery, are formidable opponents for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions, Daniel Bryan and Rowan. This past week on SmackDown, Otis proved his merit by defeating Bryan and Woods in a triple threat.
Heavy Machinery and New Day will take Bryan and Rowan to the limit this Sunday, but the champs’ talent, and tendency to disregard the rules, will see them to victory.
Winner: Daniel Bryan and Rowan
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Samoa Joe
WWE Championship Match
Samoa Joe has been on an epic losing streak as of late, suffering embarrassing defeats at the hands of Rey Mysterio and Ricochet, losing the United States Championship each time. But Samoa Joe did not admit defeat; instead, he set his sights higher: on the WWE Championship.
Samoa Joe is as cruel as they come, especially when he has a prize in mind, but it’s not yet time for Kofi Kingston to step out of the number one spot, and somehow, someway, will overcome the Samoan Destroyer and retain his title.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Seth Rollins (c) and Becky Lynch (c) vs. Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans
Winners Take All: Universal Championship and Raw Women’s Championship Mixed Tag Match
This match has a double stipulation: if Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans defeat Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, they win their opponents’ respective championships; however, if Rollins and Lynch retain, Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans can never challenge them for the titles again.
Though Corbin and Evans are both deserving of championship reigns and will undoubtedly reach that goal somewhere in the future, it will not be this Sunday.
