WWE Extreme Rules 2012 is all set to take place this Sun., April 29, 2012, from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, and the match card is set now that both Raw and Smackdown have done their go-home shows.
Smackdown has yet to air, of course, but you can read spoilers for the show on Friday right here.
The pay-per-view (PPV) centers around the big match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena. This will mark the first match in eight years for Lesnar after he left WWE back in April 2004 to pursue other career options. He went off and became a champion in mixed martial arts (MMA) -- not to mention the biggest draw in the history of the UFC -- and now he's back to "bring legitimacy to WWE."
Operation: Take Out John Cena comes first.
But that's just the main event. Let's take a look at the complete WWE Extreme Rules 2012 match card after the jump.
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (Extreme Rules match)
Lesnar's first match back in eight years comes against a guy with a history of having good matches in big spots but that being mostly due to his opponent. The fact that this is an Extreme Rules match will help cover up any ring rust Brock may have but I just can't see this being anything above two stars by the time the night's over. Unless they overbook the hell out of it and advance the storyline with something shocking an unexpected.
CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight for the WWE Championship)
This feud jumped the shark during the Raw go-home show when Punk took a field sobriety test in the ring with two incompetent cops, Teddy Long acting like he'd rather be getting a blood transfusion with an AIDS patient, and Chris Jericho egging everyone on. It was a joke with no punchline. Once they mercifully ended the segment, it had gone on so long, no one was interested in the conclusion. The match should be great but this story feels like it's over already.
Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus (2 out of 3 Falls match for the World Heavyweight Championship)
The hope is that these two will tear the house down and have the best match on the card, which is entirely possible. Maybe they both have a chip on their shoulder and are dying to go out and show everyone in the back they should have been given far more time at WrestleMania 28 earlier this month. Sheamus is going over. I think.
Randy Orton vs. Kane (Falls Count Anywhere)
Move along folks, nothing to see here. Unless Paul Bearer shows up and gets kidnapped and killed again.
Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes (Stipulation not announced for the Intercontinental Championship)
The time between their WrestleMania match and this one has consisted mostly of Rhodes getting beat thanks to lame distractions from Show with still shots from their match at 'Mania and Show beating random tag teams with Great Khali. Rhodes hasn't looked this bad in a long time. Even if he wins the belt, and he should, it just feels cheap.
Santino Marella vs. The Miz (United States Championship)
This match will air on the live pre-show on YouTube and Facebook a half hour before the pay-per-view kicks off. There isn't much to say about it or expect from it. Marella has been doing his usual comedy routine and Miz hasn't even appeared on TV in the past few weeks. Seriously. They've given a superstar a title shot when he didn't even show up on the go-home show.
That's the card as it stands now, Cagesiders. Seeing as there are only five matches on the PPV, you can expect a few late additions to kill time. That means the Bellas with the Divas title, Brodus Clay, something with Alberto Del Rio perhaps.
Anyone ordering this show?