You can’t get extreme without Jeff Hardy

United States championship Triple Threat match

Current champ Damian Priest and former champ Sheamus have been beefing over the red, white & blue belt for a while now. At Extreme Rules, an extreme third element gets added to their program... Team Xtreme’s Jeff Hardy.

The Road to Extreme Rules

It’s been pretty much a straightaway.

After taking the title from Sheamus at SummerSlam, Priest defended the belt against both the Celtic Warrior and Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat, pinning the big Scot after he’d Claymore-d Sheamus from the ring.

The Irishman then won a #1 contenders match over McIntyre, and the rematch was on. But with several weeks to go before the next PPV, fighting champ Priest issued an open challenge that was answered by one of his heroes... Jeffrey Nero Hardy. The Archer of Infamy retained, then Sheamus picked the bones of both weary warriors.

Which set up a “win and get added to the title match” contest between old rivals Hardy and Sheamus. Jeff won, the Celt blamed the champ, and you’re all caught up.

What to watch for

We’ve seen a lot of Priest and Sheamus working together lately, and know they’ll bring the violence. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the replays of this one they show tomorrow night on Raw are in black-and-white because one of these guys got red on their face.

There’s also a lot of tape on the Celtic Warrior vs. the Charismatic Enigma - including last summer’s cinematic bar fight that Jeff won by swantoning off a ladder. There were camera tricks in that one so Hardy didn’t have to land on Sheamus and the concrete floor he was laying on. But it’s not like the aging daredevil wouldn’t do that spot live.

So that’s the big appeal to this one. It seems unlikely WWE would pull the plug on Priest’s title reign after only a month, but that doesn’t mean this won’t be fun. A slobberknocker with a bonkers Jeff Hardy spot or two (Triple Threats aren’t terribly extreme, but they are no countout and no disqualification)? We’ll take it.

Join us tonight for coverage of this United States title clash in Columbus, Ohio’s Nationwide Arena, and everything that happens at Extreme Rules. While we’re waiting, let us know your pick for...

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