WWE Extreme Rules 2019 preview

Drew Gulak (c) vs. Tony Nese, for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

The story: As predicted, Drew Gulak finally won the Cruiserweight Championship, at Stomping Grounds. Tony Nese wants his championship back, since Gulak only (“only”) won the title by pinning Akira Tozawa in their Triple Threat Match.

Prediction: This is most likely the Kickoff Show match. It’s also most likely a successful first title defense for Drew Gulak.  

Aleister Black vs. Cesaro

The story: Since the Superstar Shake-Up, Aleister Black has been stuck in a dark room, cutting promos and not wrestling on SmackDown. Not even the “Wild Card Rule” allowed him to do his dark-room promos on Raw. Then one week, there was a knock on the door, only for that to not actually be followed up on the following week. But now it’s been confirmed: The Superstar who knocked on the door was Cesaro. So now it’s time for a match.

Prediction: Really, all we can hope for is that this gets the chance to be the great match it can be. Even if it ends up on the Kickoff Show.  

Daniel Bryan & Rowan (c) vs. The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Heavy Machinery (Otis & Tucker), in a Triple Threat Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship

The story: Daniel Bryan and Rowan (really, mostly Bryan) have, of course, been running their mouths about being the tag team champions we all deserve. While you may agree, the reason they say that is because, unlike New Day and Heavy Machinery, they are completely focused on the in-ring work and don’t “love to have fun.” New Day have especially taken offense to these attacks on their character, while Heavy Machinery are also upset, but they’re mostly just happy to be here. (They had to qualify to be in this match, so truly, they’re just happy to be here.)

Prediction: Heavy Machinery came close to beating Bryan and Rowan at Stomping Grounds, but now with the added New Day factor, things will be even harder for them. And Bryan and Rowan will probably actually use that to their advantage in this match to retain.  

Roman Reigns & The Undertaker vs. Drew McIntyre & Shane McMahon, in a No Holds Barred match

The story: Shane McMahon is an egomaniac who has — with the help of Drew McIntyre, sometimes The Revival, and it looks like no longer Elias — been plaguing both Roman Reigns and The Miz for months with absolutely no comeuppance. That’s right, he pretty much ends up getting the win every time, especially with The Miz. (The Miz, who’s not even in this match. But it’s No Holds Barred, so maybe he can come in and get some revenge.) Actually, that’s changed this week with Kevin Owens channeling the still very much alive spirit of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin against him. But that’s clearly for past Extreme Rules. Oh, and The Undertaker decided to help Roman (but not Miz) and against Shane and McIntyre. So now we have this match.

Prediction: Roman Reigns and The Undertaker have to win this match, right? Right? Logic dictates that, but logic now also dictates something else: “Shane McMahon wins.” 

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) (c) vs. The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso), for the Raw Tag Team Championship

The story: These two teams have been feuding for months, kind of. There’s not really a story here right now, especially when you consider The Viking Raiders are waiting in the wings and The Revival have just sometimes been Shane McMahon lackeys. Yeah, there was all that Ucey Hot stuff and stupid pranks, but that was long before a title was involved. Really, this is just about two of the best tag teams in the world wanting to prove who’s better…which is actually awesome.

Prediction: The Usos win…but only because The Viking Raiders are waiting in the wings. 

Ricochet (c) vs. AJ Styles, for the United States Championship

The story: AJ Styles had been trying to fire up the Good Brothers (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) the past few weeks, but they keep losing. Meanwhile, he’s had a friendly rivalry with new United States Champion Ricochet, even beating him in a non-title match in the main event of Raw…after sending the Good Brothers away when they tried to help him (you know, cheat) out. However, as the Good Brothers noted, Styles could just barely put Ricochet away. And then they added that Ricochet had been running his mouth about Ricochet (a lie), which fired Styles up enough to challenge Ricochet to a title shot on Raw and even slap him around a bit. Ricochet accepted, and Styles ended up winning the title — for a few seconds, before the decision was reversed because Ricochet’s foot was very clearly under the rope. Ricochet ended up winning the restarted match, retaining his title, and how did Styles react? By leading a three-on-one beatdown on Ricochet, officially making clear that The Club is back.

Prediction: If you don’t want The Club to be D.O.A., Styles has to win. But that’s just logic... 

Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley, in a Last Man Standing match

The story: Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley spent weeks doing things like arm-wrestling contests and tug of war, so you can’t say this is a match where we’ve seen these two competitors wrestle non-stop. (Except for all those times they wrestled in six-man tag matches where Lashley teamed with Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre…) Then on the episode of Raw before the go-home show, Strowman and Lashley had a Falls Count Anywhere that ended in Strowman attempting to electrocute himself and Lashley. It was awesome. Strowman seemingly hasn’t recovered yet, while Lashley appeared on Raw on the go-home show and squashed a returning Rey Mysterio.

Prediction: Despite the MIA status of Strowman, he’ll probably enter the arena riding a lightning bolt and then destroy Lashley for good. Or they’ll both end up down for the count. But I don’t see Lashley winning this, honestly. He’s running his mouth too much, and he ain’t Samoa Joe. 

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Samoa Joe, for the WWE Championship

The story: Speaking of Samoa Joe, Kofi Kingston finally has a viable contender for his title. (Sorry, Dolph Ziggler. I know it should’ve been you or whatever.) Joe’s been doing his typical brutalization thing and attacking Kofi before and during matches. But then when he tried the verbal attacks — threatening Kofi’s family — that didn’t quite work. (Surely you saw Kofi give Joe the finger at all of that.) So as much as it would seem like Joe has the advantage, Kofi ain’t giving up so easily.

Prediction: It looks like Kofi’s reign might come to an end at the hands of Joe. Really, hopefully, Brock Lesnar doesn’t rain on either man’s parade, no matter who wins.

Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, in a 2-on-1 Handicap match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship

The story: Previously in Yardbarker WWE pay-per-view previews, Nikki Cross still hadn’t learned you shouldn’t trust Alexa Bliss. Now? She still hasn’t learned, and she’s really doubling down on trusting Alexa Bliss, to the point of getting herself in this match with the explicit goal of helping Alexa win the SmackDown Women’s Championship. (Yes, Alexa is still a Raw Superstar. Why do you ask?) Meanwhile, Bayley can’t seem to find a way to tell Nikki the truth about Alexa without coming across as the jerk in this situation, so she’s probably brought this on herself.

Prediction: Leading into this match, Nikki told Bayley she should find herself a friend, as she clearly doesn’t understand friendship like Alexa and Nikki do. It might be too wishful thinking to hope Sasha Banks comes back to save the day and help Bayley retain, but hopefully she does. Or anyone, even if it doesn’t snap sense into Nikki Cross.

Seth Rollins (c) & Becky Lynch (c) vs. Baron Corbin & Lacey Evans, in a Winner Take All Mixed Tag Team match for the WWE Universal Championship & the RAW Women’s Championship

The story: Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans keep losing in their respective title matches against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, but because WWE continues to acknowledge that the latter are in a real relationship, the former duo of losers get to have this opportunity to lose once more. Oh, and Corbin and Evans keep calling themselves the real “power couple” of WWE, despite talking to each other like two people who have never spoken to each other before and plan to never speak to each other again.

Prediction: Seriously, look at how many times “lose,” “losing,” and “loser” were written about Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans above. Corbin winning only to get cashed in on by Brock Lesnar honestly isn’t worth the possibility of Lacey Evans winning the title.