WWE will return to pay-per-view (PPV) on Sun., May 19, 2013, when the promotion invades the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri, with its Extreme Rules event, the first show following the biggest event of the year, WrestleMania. That means it's at a disadvantage in numerous ways and that's show in the lead-up to the match card, which has two title bouts and a specialty attraction already booked but is suffering from an extreme lack of hype.
Here's the current match card and line-up:
- Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H in a steel cage match
Although it hasn't been confirmed by anyone at WWE, rumor has it this is the planned main event for the show. It makes sense, considering their encounter at SummerSlam 2012 took precedence over the WWE championship match and that was when CM Punk was champion and could have a great match with Big Show and John Cena. The WWE title bout on this card isn't nearly as strong and Cena has been injured. Plus, this is the big blowoff to the Lesnar-Trips feud that everyone has so desperately been waiting for. It's time to move on from this.
- John Cena vs. Ryback for the WWE championship
Here's what sucks about this match: We can be relatively sure of how it's going to be booked and the potential quality of the workrate within it won't make up for that. You knew how Undertaker vs. CM Punk would play out but you wanted to see it anyway because you knew it would be a wonderful match. That's not enough close to the case here and, in fact, you should completely kill any expectation. That way if they deliver even a two star match, it's a pleasant surprise. Cena is working hurt, so that could dampen this even more. The story has been fairly well done at least.
- Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger in a ladder match for the world heavyweight championship
Because it's a ladder match and because Ziggler is involved you can feel relatively confident that it will be entertaining and we can't ask for much more than that at a PPV where the matches are all that matter. It's just unfortunate the feud leading up to it has been so ho hum. That's mostly thanks to all three characters failing to connect in any meaningful way. Swagger has lost his luster after his gimmick change, Del Rio is not getting over as a super babyface, and Ziggler is, well, Ziggler. Still, expect fireworks.
That's the card as it stands right now, Cagesiders. Big Show vs. Randy Orton and Sheamus vs. Mark Henry are expected to be added shortly, with AJ Lee vs. Kaitlyn also possible.
Thoughts so far?