WWE Extreme Rules 2017: Neville vs. Austin Aries full match preview

Submission match for the Cruiserweight Championship

Neville and his Reigns of Saturn are tested against Aries’ Last Chancery.

The road to Extreme Rules

The rivalry between Neville and Austin Aries has dominated the Cruiserweight Championship picture since Aries’ return from injury in early March. Despite heralding himself as “The King of the Cruiserweights,” Neville has twice now evaded Aries’ clutches by hook or by crook—mostly crook.

During the WrestleMania 33 Kickoff show on April 2, 2017, Aries was in a dominating position after placing the champion in the Last Chancery. But Neville resorted to viciously gouging A-Double’s eye to escape the hold before winning with a Red Arrow.

But still Aries would not be denied, winning another number one contendership two days later on 205 Live. The pair would face off once more at Payback on April 30, 2017, in San Jose. And once again Neville would keep his title through underhanded tactics. Aries had the champion locked in the Last Chancery, and despite being unable to reach the ropes, Neville found a way out. He grabbed the referee forcefully, causing a disqualification. He lost the match, but kept the championship.

Because Neville lacked a clean title defense, and indeed had cheated twice to keep his crown, Aries remained the champion’s biggest threat. In the lead up to Payback, TJP aligned himself with Neville against Aries, and since then the pair have repeatedly attacked The Greatest Man That Ever Lived on both Monday Night Raw and 205 Live.

On Monday’s go home episode of Raw, Aries forced the champion to submit in a tag team match—making their Extreme Rules stipulation appear doubly relevant. But Neville would get his revenge on 205 Live the following night, when he and TJP savagely assaulted the challenger—with Neville eventually forcing Aries to pass out when locked in the Reigns of Saturn while TJP repeatedly stomped on Aries’ knee.

What’s at stake?

The Cruiserweight Championship, aka the Cruiserweight Crown. Aries has his third chance tomorrow to claim the throne for himself, and this time Neville will be forced to win definitively to retain. If Neville successfully holds onto the title in Baltimore, and Dean Ambrose drops the Intercontinental Championship, the Geordie will be the longest-reigning champion on the main roster.

Will Aries be able to overcome Neville’s conniving ways—and his possibly injured knee—to capture the title? Or will Neville again find his way to victory by any means necessary? And just how will TJP factor into the equation?

Tune in to Extreme Rules Sunday night to see who walks out with the crown.