John Cena’s last stand?
The sixth annual WWE Extreme Rules came to you, live on pay-per-view, from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. On the one night of the year that WWE goes to the extreme, there is no telling what will happen when, for the first time in eight years, Brock Lesnar returns to in-ring action as “The War Machine” looks to destroy the ten-time former WWE Champion John Cena and become the new face of the WWE in a match with no disqualifications and no count-outs, an Extreme Rules Match. After taking his battle over who is the “best in the world” with CM Punk to a personal level by insulting Punk’s family, Chris Jericho may have awakened a new side of the WWE Champion as CM Punk will defend the WWE Championship against Chris Jericho in a come as you are Chicago Street Fight. At WrestleMania, Sheamus seemingly undone Daniel Bryan’s four-month reign as World Heavyweight Champion by dethroning Bryan in just eighteen seconds, but at Extreme Rules, “The Yes Man” Daniel Bryan might be in his element when he challenges “The Great White” Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, where the first man to score two falls, by pinfall, submission, disqualification, or count-out will walk out of Chicago as the World Heavyweight Champion. In another rivalry made personal as of late, “The Viper” Randy Orton looks to avenge the attack on his father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, as Orton goes one-on-one with the monster that defeated him at WrestleMania, “The Big Red Monster” Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. For Intercontinental Champion Big Show and former champion Cody Rhodes, there is certainly the fear of the unknown as “The World’s Largest Athlete” will defend the Intercontinental Title against Cody Rhodes, but the match type will be determined during the Extreme Rules pre-show when a spin of the wheel will determine the fate of the Intercontinental Title match and it’s combatants. On RAW, Nikki Bella took advantage of Beth Phoenix’s ankle injury to be crowned the new Divas Champion, but at Extreme Rules, “The Glamazon” has invoked her rematch clause as Beth Phoenix will challenge Nikki Bella for the Divas Title. In a pre-show exclusive on YouTube, Facebook, and WWE.com, the United States Championship will be up for grabs as Santino Marella defends the gold against former WWE Champion The Miz.
Match Results
- United States Championship: Pre-Show Exclusive: Santino Marella (c) def. The Miz by pin following the Cobra Strike to retain.
- Falls Count Anywhere: Randy Orton def. Kane by pin following the RKO on a steel chair.
- Brodus Clay def. Dolph Ziggler (with Jack Swagger) by pin following the big splash.
- Intercontinental Championship: Tables Match: Cody Rhodes def. Big Show (c) to win the Intercontinental Title.
- World Heavyweight Championship: 2-out-of-3 Falls: 1st Fall- Sheamus (c) def. Daniel Bryan by DQ after Daniel Bryan ignores the referee’s five-count.
- World Heavyweight Championship: 2-out-of-3 Falls: 2nd Fall- Daniel Bryan def. Sheamus (c) by submission to the Yes Lock.
- World Heavyweight Championship: 2-out-of-3 Falls: 3rd Fall- Sheamus (c) def. Daniel Bryan by pin following the Brogue Kick to retain.
- 2-on-1 Handicap Match: Ryback def. Aaron Relic & Jay Hatton by pinning Aaron Relic following a modified Samoan Drop.
- WWE Championship: Chicago Street Fight: CM Punk (c) def. Chris Jericho by pin following the GTS to retain.
- Divas Championship: Layla def. Nikki Bella (c) (with Brie Bella) by pinning Brie Bella to win the Divas Title.
- Extreme Rules Match: John Cena def. Brock Lesnar by pin following the Attitude Adjustment on the steel steps.
Detailed Results
Before Extreme Rules officially got underway on pay-per-view, the United States Championship was up for grabs during the Extreme Rules pre-show exclusively on YouTube, Facebook, and WWE.com as Santino Marella defended the gold against The Miz. In the end, it was Santino Marella striking with the Cobra en route to pinning The Miz to successfully retain the United States Title.
Extreme Rules officially gets underway with a personal grudge match as “The Viper” Randy Orton collided with “The Big Red Monster” Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, where pinfalls or submissions can occur anywhere in the arena with no disqualifications or count-outs. It did not take long for things to get “extreme” as Kane introduces the lead pipe into the match, but Randy Orton quickly gets a hold of the weapon, driving it into the mid-section of the monster before the two combatants continue their brawl outside the ring and through the crowd. Kane and Orton then fight their way near the staging area and Orton is able to drop Kane with a dropkick, but Kane is able to kick out. Orton then tries for the RKO on the concrete floor, but Kane blocks it, taking Orton down with a big boot. The fight then continues into the backstage area and into the dressing room area as Kane briefly gets the better of Orton, but “The Viper” fights back before the brawl enters a room where several WWE Superstars are watching Extreme Rules. This group includes Kane’s former victim, Zack Ryder, who takes the opportunity to try and attack Kane, but “The Big Red Monster” gets a hold of Ryder. However, this gives Orton the chance to fight back as Kane and Orton resume their fight through the backstage area before they make their way back to ringside and into the ring. Orton soon produces a steel chair from underneath the ring, driving it into the mid-section and spine of Kane with several vicious chair shots. Kane then tries to escape to the outside of the ring, but Orton pursues the monster, exposing the announce table. After fighting for control, Orton would finally get Kane set up on the announce table, dropping “The Big Red Monster” with a suspended DDT on the floor, but Kane is still able to kick out! After sending Orton skull-first into the steel ring post, Kane looked to be in control as he slides “The Viper” into the ring, but Orton finds the will to fight back, setting Kane up on the top rope and delivering a ring-rattling superplex in the middle of the ring, but Kane finds a way to kick out. Orton then goes for the RKO, but Kane counters, drilling “The Viper” with a chokeslam, but Orton still kicks out! Kane then sets the steel chair in the center of the ring before setting Orton up for the Tombstone Piledriver, but Orton fights out of the Tombstone, planting Kane with the RKO on the steel chair en route to finally picking up the victory!
Extreme Rules also featured a funky surprise as “The Funkasaurus” Brodus Clay, with Hornswoggle and his Funkadactyls, Cameron & Naomi, in tow, would go one-on-one with “The Show Off” Dolph Ziggler, with Jack Swagger and Vickie Guerrero in his corner. During the match, Jack Swagger distracts Brodus Clay long enough for Dolph Ziggler to dropkick Clay out of the ring. With Dolph distracting the referee, Jack Swagger delivers a shoulder block to Brodus on the outside, allowing Dolph to gain the advantage. After fighting off further interference from Jack Swagger, Brodus Clay hits a headbutt on Dolph Ziggler and following it up with a big splash en route to picking up the win.
Then it was time for the Intercontinental Title to be defended as Big Show makes his first title defense against former champion Cody Rhodes and, per the spin of a wheel during the Extreme Rules pre-show, it would be a Tables Match, where the only way to win is to put your opponent through a table. During the match, Big Show rolls Cody Rhodes into the ring, but as Show makes his way back into the ring, Rhodes hits a dropkick on Show, making the giant take a step backwards and, unfortunately for Show, that step was right through a table, giving Rhodes the win and the Intercontinental Title! After the match, Big Show would take his frustrations out on the new champion as Show drives Rhodes through a table with a chokeslam before lifting Rhodes high above his head and hurling Rhodes out of the ring and through another table!
After losing the World Heavyweight Title in a mere eighteen seconds at WrestleMania, “The Yes Man” Daniel Bryan challenges Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, where the first man to score two falls, by pinfall, submission, disqualification, or count-out will emerge as the World Heavyweight Champion. During the hellacious first portion of the match, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan would go to war, but at one point in the match, Daniel Bryan has Sheamus against the ropes, literally, as Bryan delivers countless kicks to the shoulder of Sheamus, leaving the referee no choice but to disqualify Bryan, giving Sheamus the first fall! Daniel Bryan then locks in the Yes Lock on Sheamus and, while “The Great White” would not tap out, the pain of the submission forces Sheamus unconscious, earning Bryan the second fall via submission. During the rest period between falls, the WWE doctors would tend to Sheamus, confirming that Sheamus wants to continue, which the proud champion agrees to continue. With both men having a fall, Sheamus musters the strength he has left to hit the Brogue Kick on Daniel Bryan, but Bryan was able to kick out. Despite an injured shoulder, Sheamus manages to blast Daniel Bryan with the Brogue Kick en route to winning the third fall and winning the match, successfully retaining the World Heavyweight Title in a hellacious, show-stealing match!
With United States Champion Santino Marella and The Great Khali amusedly watching backstage as two unknowns, Aaron Relic & Jay Hatton would try their luck in taking on “The Juggernaut” Ryback in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. After proclaiming that “two is greater than one” in their own math lesson for the crowd, Ryback annihilates his two opponents, hitting a modified Samoan Drop on Aaron Relic en route to picking up a dominant victory.
Then it was time for the WWE Championship to be defended in extreme fashion as CM Punk defends the WWE Title against personal rival Chris Jericho in a come as you are Chicago Street Fight, where there are no disqualifications and no count-outs and the only way to win is to pin or make your opponent submit in the middle of the ring. The fight quickly breaks to the outside of the ring, where CM Punk pummels Chris Jericho before throwing steel chairs in the ring and retrieving a kendo stick, jabbing Jericho in the mid-section with the weapon. During the match, Chris Jericho gains the advantage and, on the outside of the ring, Jericho exposes the steel of the ringside barricade and, right in front of CM Punk’s sister, Jericho drives Punk’s skull into the steel. Jericho then gets in the face of Punk’s sister, but Punk’s sister slaps Jericho across the face! Jericho tries to get his hands on Punk’s sister, but that makes Punk snap as the WWE Champion pummels Jericho before tearing the tops off of both announce tables, slamming Jericho through one of them! Jericho would fight back, smashing a television monitor into the back of Punk before using the announce table top, splintering the wood into several shards upon impact.
Back in the ring, Chris Jericho gets a hold of the kendo stick, using it to jab the spine and mid-section of the champion. Jericho then grabs a can of beer from underneath the ring, cracking it open and dumping it all over Punk. Jericho grabs another beer, taking a drink of it, but Punk fights back, delivering kendo stick shots to the mid-section and face of Jericho. Later on in the match, Chris Jericho gets CM Punk in the Walls of Jericho, but CM Punk is able to pull Jericho to the edge of the ring, reaching for a fire extinguisher, spraying it in Jericho’s face to escape from the hold! Punk then drives the extinguisher into the mid-section of Jericho, sending Jericho to the outside. Punk then delivers a kick to the skull, knocking Jericho onto the Spanish announce table before Punk ascends the top rope, dropping a huge elbow drop through Jericho and through the announce table! Punk then rolls Jericho into the ring and, while unable to successfully pin Jericho, Punk locks in the Anaconda Vise on Jericho, but Jericho grabs the nearby kendo stick, whacking Punk in the skull with the stick repeatedly to escape the hold. Jericho then gets a steel chair, using it to aid him in a Codebreaker to CM Punk, but Punk still kicks out! Jericho then tries to use the GTS on CM Punk, but Punk counters, sending Jericho into the exposed steel turnbuckle before striking with the GTS en route to picking up the win and successfully retaining the WWE Title in an extreme war!
Backstage, Executive Administrator Eve has the bad news for Beth Phoenix that “The Glamazon” has not been cleared to compete for the Divas Title. However, Eve informs Divas Champion Nikki Bella that she will defend the gold against a surprise opponent!
Before the Divas Title match, Nikki Bella vows that she will be the longest reigning Divas Champion in history. Nikki’s challenger was then revealed to be none other than former Women’s Champion, “The Flawless Diva” Layla! During the match, The Bella Twins would attempt their patented Twin Magic, but it would backfire as, when Brie Bella entered the match in her sister’s place, Layla hits the Lay Out on Brie, pinning Brie to become the new Divas Champion in her first match in a year!
Backstage, RAW & SmackDown General Manager John Laurinaitis reveals to Matt Striker that, on RAW tomorrow night, WWE COO Triple H will be on RAW to address John Laurinaitis! What will Triple H have to say about John Laurinaitis job as General Manager, not to mention the explosive and controversial return of Brock Lesnar?
Then it was time for the main event as “The War Machine” Brock Lesnar goes to war with John Cena in an Extreme Rules Match, a match with no disqualifications and no count-outs. As soon as the match begins, Brock Lesnar strikes fast and hard with right hands and elbow strikes, busting John Cena’s skull wide open! This brings the match to a momentary standstill to the match as the referee and doctor try their best to patch Cena up and clean up Cena’s blood. Later on in the match, John Cena gets a shot in on Brock Lesnar, but the shot knocks Brock into the referee, knocking the referee out of the ring, which leaves nothing standing between Brock and Cena. Lesnar then gets a hold of Cena’s chain, but Brock tosses the weapon to the side, seemingly having no need for it. Brock does pick the chain back up, using it to tie the legs of Cena together before allowing Cena to get to his feet so he can level Cena with a clothesline. Brock then puts Cena upside down, hanging by the chain that is keeping his legs bound before Brock knocks Cena down to the floor. As Brock goes back to see the condition of the referee, Cena recovers enough to get a few shots in on Lesnar, but Brock hurls Cena into the steel steps.
Lesnar tosses the referee back into the ring with ease as Brock awaits Cena’s re-entrance into the ring. Cena comes back into the ring, trying to hit the Attitude Adjustment on Lesnar, but Lesnar counters, hitting the F-5 on Cena. Unfortunately for Brock, the referee is again knocked down amidst the spin of the F-5. A second referee rushes down to count the fall, but Cena manages to kick out and Lesnar responds by taking the second referee out of the match! Brock then brings the bottom half of the steel steps into the center of the ring, locking in a shoulder submission on Cena, but Cena is somehow able to lift Brock up and slam Lesnar down on the steel. With Brock prone on the steel, Cena goes for the leg drop from the top rope, but Lesnar slides out of the way, resulting in a crash and burn for Cena. Brock then waits for Cena to get on the apron of the ring before Lesnar uses the steel steps to launch himself into the air and into Cena as both Brock and Cena land hard on the outside of the ring! As Lesnar takes his position in the center of the ring once again, Cena gets on the apron, but unbeknownst to Lesnar, Cena has wrapped the steel chain around his fist and, when Brock charges Cena, Cena responds with a straight shot to the skull with the steel chain! Cena then stalks a bloodied Lesnar before hoisting Lesnar up and delivering the Attitude Adjustment to Brock on the steel steps! Cena is then able to crawl to the cover, managing to pin Brock Lesnar to pick up the bloody, hellacious win.
After the match, the bloody, one-armed John Cena actually musters the energy to speak as Cena says that he is “heading home” and, if he knows his boss, he is going to kick him out “on air”. Cena then says that, above all else, Chicago is a “wrestling town” and he is “damn proud” to say that he went to war in Chicago. Cena continues that if he is taking a “vacation” and going away for a while, then “so be it” before wishing the Chicago fans a safe trip home. After narrowly surviving Brock Lesnar in a bloody Extreme Rules Match, have we seen the last of John Cena in the WWE?
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