The Internet Wrestling Community have been in a frenzy after seeing John Cena leave Extreme Rules 2013 with the WWE championship. Some fans are calling for boycotts, some are calling for change, but at the end of the day this is the WWE you are stuck with it and Cena isn’t going anywhere.

Look let me get this right out of the way. I am not a Cena fan at all. I think his promos are terrible, I have little interest in watching him wrestle, and I doubt I’d be a wrestling fan if this were the WWE I grew up with. So before you go and accuse me of being a Cena fan, please think again. I can’t stand watching the man.

That said, the outrage is bordering on ridiculous. At this point you are better off turning RAW off and deleting your WWE.com bookmarks because the guy isn’t going anywhere by choice. John Cena is here to stay and while you and I are tired of his act, we are in the minority. Cena is still a mega merchandise seller, a ratings magnet, and oh I don’t know just drew one of the biggest buyrates in history against The Rock. To expect the WWE to do anything else but give him a big push is just selfish and short sighted.

I also think that people are being incredibly unfair to Cena. I was on Twitter during Extreme Rules and the second his match against Ryback ended I saw a slew of “Super Cena” tweets that mocked the champion’s survival against his monster opponent. Cena doesn’t need me to defend him but the guy has been pushed as anything but super over the last year.

“Cena wins again” was the big complaint and believe me, I get it. But let’s take a look back at 2012 and how Cena fared during the year. Not to good! As much criticism as he receives for being “super”, he put over CM Punk quite a few times during their run. Without those wins Punk would have never ascended as a top superstar so there is certainly a bit of gratitude owed Cena in helping get someone over. He also put over Dolph Ziggler, The Rock, and even freaking Tensai! The criticism may have been warranted a few years ago, but certainly not in the last year and a half.

Put yourself in Vince McMahon’s role right now and what would you do? Sure it’s easy to say “push Punk” or “push Daniel Bryan” to the top and I get it. I’d love to watch a WWE show with those guys on top. Unfortunately the mass audience doesn’t. Cena is the only consistent full-time draw he has had for the last several years. Vince McMahon may be a lot of things but he isn’t an idiot. If business trends showed Cena on the decline and someone else ascending, he’d make the change. They haven’t.

The problem isn’t John Cena and his push. I am not a fan but if I was running the company I’d push him too! The problem is the inability to create stars that appeal across the board like Cena does. Do you really think that Vince McMahon or anyone else in charge wants anyone to have as much power as Cena does? In a perfect world they’d want an assortment of top stars as opposed to relying on one guy to carry the brand. If Cena goes down with an injury or decides to hold the company up for massive money, they are screwed! They know that, they’ve been there before. Believe me I am sure that Vince McMahon hates the idea of the WWE Universe revolving around one person more than you do.

Regarding Extreme Rules, the right decision was made. It’s funny because a lot of the same people criticizing Cena are the same ones who were mocking Ryback months ago when he was doing squashes. Now you want him in your main-events? The WWE made the right call. Ryback has little momentum right now and isn’t moving numbers whatsoever as the top heel. The ship has sailed on the viability of putting the title on him. Maybe that ship docks again but that ship is drifting far off from the docks. The company made the right call by keeping the title on Cena.

Now could they have booked a better finish? That finish was horrible considering that they had a Last Man Standing stipulation. I don’t care who was wrestling, that was just a terrible finish. There is a reason no official announcement was made on the event.

At the end of the day you have your right to complain about Cena but your voice is a very tiny voice among a rabid Cena fan base of women, kids, and teenagers that continue to invest their time and money into the WWE champ. Expected the WWE to do anything different right now is just foolish.

WWE: Extreme Rules 2013 DVD

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

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John Cena apparently refused medical treatment on Sunday night after WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view went off the air. As seen on WWE.com, Cena had been loaded into the back of an ambulance and appeared to be on his way to the nearest facility, when he suddenly told those attending to him no, that he was not going to go.

I swear you just can’t make this stuff up.

However, someone in WWE creative did, as once again the point that John Cena is a superhuman fighting machine has been frustratingly driven home. Why frustrating? Well, we all know the answer to that one, right?

Because John Cena is indestructible. That’s it. Do whatever you want to him, hit him as hard as you like, take the boots to him for a straight hour if you want, beat the man to a bloody pulp and then sit back and watch what happens next.

Watch John Cena rise from the dead with a smile on his face as if nothing ever happened.

But I do have a theory. There is perhaps a larger storyline brewing here, one that we have not thought of. Maybe this is not John Cena the clean cut all-American goody two shoes that we have been watching all these years. Maybe John Cena is not Mr. Hustle Loyalty and Respect after all.

I submit that perhaps John Cena is the third Brother of Destruction.

Think about it. Just like The Undertaker and Kane, John is crazy strong. He is physically capable of taking on Superstars much bigger than he is and not only match them move for move but beat even defeat them in the end.

And every time it appears that John Cena is beat down, that his opponent has the upper hand and the match could possibly be drawing to a close, what happens? Much like the Deadman and The Big Red Machine, John Cena no-sells, sits up; hit’s a flurry of moves then gets the pin.

Eerie, isn’t it?

By the way, I hope that you’re picking up my sarcasm because I’m laying it on pretty thick. And now for all you Cena fans out there, here’s a message that you need to hear.

Relax, okay? I am not attacking your boy here. The fact is that this has been Captain America’s way of doing things in the ring for a long time now. His character is the epitome of resiliency, a guy who has a rock solid never say die attitude and is not easily held down by anyone he faces.

John continues to be the face of WWE and as such must look strong every time he’s in the ring. As fans we simply should not expect him to go over on every top name that the company has ever put him against, only to look weak in a match with an opponent who is still attempting to build a career in WWE.

But-and here’s the tricky part-when a man takes a beating in the ring, despite who he is, he must show that he has been affected by it. Smiling, waving, acting as if he had not just been through a war, absolutely destroys any realism that was created by the match itself.

It’s not about wanting John to look weak. Not for me. It’s about wanting John to look the part. That’s all I have ever wanted from the guy.

The fact is that Ryback looked good on Sunday night. In fact, he looked better than I thought he would. He took the fight to Cena and gave him everything he had. I had my doubts about how this match was going to look, but as I watched Ryback methodically pace in the ring, taking his time against the WWE Champion, it occurred to me that this was getting over just fine.

And when Ryback hoisted Cena up and drove him through the set on top of the ramp while sparks flew around them? Well, that was a bit of unexpected drama that made the challenger look even better. Ryback had taken full control of the match and had decimated John Cena, leaving him for dead.

Yeah, that made me smile a little too.

Because even though the moment helped Ryback and went a long way in establishing his monster heel persona, we all know that at the end of the day that John Cena will always get back up. He will always come back for more.

But, refusing help from the EMT’s? Sitting up in the ambulance, taking off the neck brace and leaving without treatment? Had this happened live on pay-per-view, it very likely would have destroyed the drama of the match and essentially killed any momentum that Ryback had built as a result of it.

And now a message for any Ryback supporters who may be reading.

Don’t get your hopes up. Because while Ryback is doing everything asked of him and attempting to get over as much as he can, the commitment from WWE apparently stops at John Cena’s door. No one, especially not a relatively new Superstar who is not firmly established as a top contender, is going to get one over on him.

And this includes Ryback.

So for anyone out there hoping that John faces his big brother The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30, be prepared for what will happen next. Because win or lose, John will get up, he will be smiling and just like Wyatt Earp after charging through the river alone and outnumbered against the cowboys in Tombstone, John will look like the the toughest, most fearless man on the planet.

“Where’s John?”

“Down by the river. Walking on water.”

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomclarkbr

Tom Clark is a WWE Featured Columnist & Consultant for Bleacher Report and a Contributor for JBL’s Layfield Report
http://bleacherreport.com/users/316723-tom-clark
http://www.layfieldreport.com/Tom-Clark.blog

WWE: Extreme Rules 2013 DVD

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

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There is a problem growing in the WWE recently that I don’t ever remember being this bad until now and that’s been how every match in the company has been poorly “setup” leading to a PPV match.

On paper the WWE has given us The Rock vs. John Cena II, The Undertaker vs. CM Punk, Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar II (soon-to-be III as well), Chris Jericho vs. Fandango I (soon-to-be II as well), Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger I (soon-to-be II as well), John Cena vs. Ryback and the underrated Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose match. While on paper those are all very solid matches to be showcasing on WWE television, they haven’t gotten over with the fans as well as one would think. The excitement for these matches hasn’t been that strong at all.

Now I know it’s easy to blame the WWE creative team for all these faults and that’s what I plan on doing right now because more then ever this has been their fault.

I’ve defended the WWE creative team and I’ve bashed the WWE creative team in my history of writing blogs for the CCB. I know it’s trendy to take the side of “negativity” in professional wrestling but when the creative team does something right they should be praised. When they do something wrong, they should be equal parts bashed.

The “setup,” build or whatever you want to call it for WrestleMania 29 just wasn’t there this year. There has been reports out there that creative had a “shake up” in March, weeks out from WrestleMania and that there card was ever-changing but that shouldn’t be an excuse for the company nearing their biggest show of the year. While it was a “solid” WrestleMania this year, I still felt like I was left wanting more and not because of the great in-ring work of the wrestlers, but because the company just didn’t deliver on a creative level.

You would’ve thought these issues would’ve been resolved heading into WWE Extreme Rules this Sunday but they are continuing yet again.

John Cena vs. Ryback has minimal interest right now because I think a good portion of fans are still trying to get a feel for Ryback as a heel. Let’s face it, he really hasn’t been booked well lately as he lost to Mark Henry at WrestleMania and his long standing feud with “The Shield” disappeared after losing to them multiple times. When your not booked strong but are all of a sudden the #1 contender to the WWE Championship AND a heel, it’s hard for fans to get excited or into it.

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar III inside the steel cage will deliver at Sunday’s Extreme Rules PPV; there is no question about that. But the way it’s been built up has me scratching my head in disbelief and really wanting to see more but not given the opportunity by the WWE creative team. They have a “gold mine” on their hands and I feel like they aren’t tapping into this “rubber match’s” highest potential, something they were highly criticized for during The Rock’s recent run.
WWE’s saving grace lately has been “The Shield” and I’m even confused on how they will be used this Sunday at Extreme Rules. Fortunately for the WWE creative team this confusion is also inspired by a bit of intrigue since “The Shield” could go in so many different directions this Sunday. The one direction the WWE creative team can’t do is not having one at all.

I really believe wrestling fans have every right to be upset with the WWE creative team currently. It hasn’t been there best television lately and we right smack in the middle of “WrestleMania hangover season” where the WWE quiets down for a bit heading into SummerSlam.

While the wrestlers are doing their part with the execution, the creative team is not living up to their end of the bargain based on the setup in recent months. This could be a very crucial time for the WWE right now, especially if ratings and PPV buyrates continue to tumble.

For more on this topic join us for the Thursday May 16th edition of “The Still Real to Us Show” and download the show at www.wheelhouseradio.com or www.wrestlechat.net.

You can listen to Jeff on “The Bower Show” every Monday – Friday from 3pm – 7pm ET on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, CT. You can listen online at www.979espn.com

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WWE: Extreme Rules 2013 DVD

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

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Ryback is a monster, a beast that is currently on the hunt in WWE. His latest target is WWE Champion John Cena, who he will be facing at Extreme Rules on May 19. The championship will be on the line in this one, but does Ryback really have a chance at winning?

From the moment Skip Sheffield stopped wearing the cowboy hat and started wearing the airbrushed singlet, he has been the talk of WWE. Fans knew right away that the company intended on spotlighting the newly dubbed Ryback, though no one likely knew to what extent.

He rose through the company by beating one jobber after another, oftentimes putting two men on his shoulders and marching around the ring with them. While many fans looked at him and saw Bill Goldberg version two, Vince McMahon looked at him and saw something entirely different.

He saw the company’s next big star.

This is the part when I should tell you that after crossing paths with then WWE Champion CM Punk backstage on Raw that Ryback was on the fast track to becoming that big star. I should have one story after another about the number of matches that Ryback and Punk had and about the fact that the two men exchanged the belt a couple of times during their rivalry.

But none of that is true. Not one word. And what is the reason for that? What put Ryback off course so badly that a year after he was repackaged we’re still talking about his potential when it was obvious WWE loved the guy? What happened?

The Shield happened. Plain and simple.

That’s right; one good idea was countered with another good idea. Now that second good idea turned out to be a great idea, while the first good idea was actually just an okay idea.

Everybody got that?

The fact is that WWE shot themselves in the foot with Ryback. He was presented well, had all the spotlight and focus that a Superstar could hope to have and he did everything he could to connect with fans on every level possible.

But just when it appeared as though he may be taking that next step, three guys from WWE’s developmental territory showed up and ruined the whole thing. The Shield got over like no other faction has in a very long time. Everything they said, everything they did, made headlines in WWE and had fans talking.

Where Ryback had fallen a little short, The Shield unquestionably succeeded. WWE wanted fans to think that Ryback was the future of the company, while fans knew that The Shield was the future of the company. The Shield was everything that Ryback was not and it just seemed to come so easily for them.

So what do you do when you can’t get a guy over the way you want him to be? Easy. Turn him heel. Works every time, right?

Right? Is it working for you? When Ryback speaks, do you feel his words? When he threatens John Cena, do you find yourself marveling at how well he’s doing, how well he the heel turn is going for him? Or are you shaking your head, wondering if the guy will every truly be the WWE Superstar that Vince McMahon wants him to be?

The answer could very well lie with Ryback’s WWE Title match against Cena at Extreme Rules. If Ryback goes over, then he will suddenly be propelled to the top of the industry. He will go from being the almost was to being the true top dog in WWE. It will be Ryback’s time to rule.

But if he does not go over, he will lose yet another step. And despite how he loses, whether it’s because John pins him or The Shield cost him the victory, he will definitely lose a step. Who knows, perhaps we will always talk about Ryback being the guy who was so close, who had all the tools, yet never quite made it.

Meanwhile, The Shield are dominating and will likely win three major championships at Extreme Rules. They continue to conquer in nearly everything they do.

As for Ryback, there is always the possibility that all the fans who are criticizing him will eat their words on Sunday. Perhaps all of the apparent missteps WWE has made in regards to Ryback will lead to something big, a shocking moment that we never thought would ever happen.

Perhaps The Shield could actually help Ryback defeat John Cena for the WWE Title?

How’s that one working for you?

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomclarkbr

Tom Clark is a WWE Featured Columnist & Consultant for Bleacher Report.com and a Contributor for JBL’s Layfield Report.com http://bleacherreport.com/users/316723-tom-clark http://www.layfieldreport.com/Tom-Clark_Mark-Henry-vs-Sheamus-Determine.blog

WWE: Extreme Rules 2013 DVD

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

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With WrestleMania 29 in the books and The Rock’s future in professional wrestling up in the air at the moment, I thought it would be a good time as ever to discuss if The Rock’s return to the WWE was a success or a failure.

I feel like the majority of wrestling fans believe that The Rock’s run with the WWE since WrestleMania 27 was a failure. I believe fans look at it as The Rock being paired with the wrong guy, John Cena, and use that as their focal point for how the run has been perceived since he returned to WWE television on February 14th, 2011. Now those fans that believe it was a failure have very valid points.

In my opinion Wrestlemania 27 was one of the worst WrestleMania’s of the last decade and that was due in large part to the The Miz/John Cena/The Rock storyline. The WWE Champion at the time, The Miz, was an after-thought to the main event match and the focus was more on John Cena’s interaction with the host of WrestleMania 27, The Rock. The feud between those two overshadowed the match itself and gave us one of the worst/anti-climatic WrestleMania finishes ever.

The night after WrestleMania 27 gave us our first official match for WrestleMania 28, The Rock vs. John Cena. It was an unprecedented move by the WWE to announce a WrestleMania match one year in advance and gave the creative team officially one year to build towards one of the biggest dream matches since The Rock battled Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18. The WWE had struck “gold” by getting The Rock back in the ring to take on their top superstar.

Rock vs. Cena at WrestleMania 28 gave the “old” “attitude era” fans someone to represent them (The Rock), while the “new” and “younger” fans got someone to represent them (John Cena). Fans were pumped up when the match was announced and it already had fans planning a Miami vacation to attend the perceived historic event with the match fans have been dreaming to see for some time.

Once WrestleMania 28 season began and the WWE creative team began building towards the match, fans became very critical. The buildup wasn’t what fans expected, it’s quite possible they expected too much and they began looking for excuses as to why they believed it wasn’t being executed correctly (The Rock was restrained on his promos due to the “PG” rating, etc.). Still, despite all that, fans were eager to witness one of wrestling’s last “dream matches” at a WrestleMania event.

The match itself wasn’t anything special nor was it 5-star quality at the slightest. It was a decent match that had more memorable moments from the introductions and what happened immediately after The Rock won then what happened inside the ring. The majority of fans were disappointed as their expectations weren’t met in what they saw at WrestleMania 28.

Following WrestleMania 28, The Rock vowed to be crowned WWE Champion once again before riding off into the “movie sunset” until making an appearance at the “RAW 1000” episode. The Rock’s appearance catapulted then-WWE Champion CM Punk from “super” babyface to “super” heel and the seeds were planted as “The Great One” was announced to be the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at the 2013 Royal Rumble. It definitely appeared that in July 2012 the WWE would go forward with The Rock being WWE Champion yet again.

The Rock had a good series of matches with CM Punk at the Royal Rumble & Elimination Chamber, with many people, including myself, believing that the feud and matches with CM Punk surpassed anything he did with John Cena the last two years. The Rock was the WWE Champion once again as he headed into the company’s biggest show of the year while the #1 contender to his WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29 would be his old “once in a lifetime” friend, John Cena.

I was in support of The Rock/John Cena II at first but quickly letdown due to the lack of buildup to the match heading into WrestleMania 29. It was as if either superstar had very little interaction with one another and it didn’t help that The Rock did not appear for two straight weeks in the month of March, a crucial time for WrestleMania buildup. The buzz for the match at WrestleMania 29 was a far cry from what it was at WrestleMania 28 and it translated at the biggest show of the year just a month or so ago.

The match at WrestleMania 29 was by far a better match then the two had a year prior in Miami and while they had the crowd “in it” at times, I believe it wasn’t as compared to the electricity that it had in the Orange Bowl. John Cena finally got the victory over The Rock and that’s when all the real news started happening in-regards to The Rock’s most recent WWE run.

Nearly 18 hours after WrestleMania 29, the wrestling news world went crazy when it was learned that The Rock got injured in his match with John Cena and left New Jersey without WWE knowledge. It left the WWE creative team reportedly “scrambling” heading into one of their biggest RAW shows of the year and killing any interaction between The Rock & Brock Lesnar where they would’ve “planted the seeds” for a match at WrestleMania 30. The Rock later confirmed the latter of the two, while denying he did not leave New Jersey without the WWE’s knowledge.

During that same interview The Rock spoke about his questionable future in the world of professional wrestling and said there was a “possibility” he may have wrestled his last match at WrestleMania 29. Ending what could be his most recent run with the WWE.

So with that said, was The Rock’s most recent run a success or a failure? It was 100%…a success.

Now how could that be? I just blasted nearly everything The Rock had done with the WWE in the last two years. How would something like that translate into success?

First off, it’s not The Rock’s complete fault some of those storylines never panned out like the WWE may have thought. In my opinion The Rock actually saved WrestleMania 27 and The Miz/John Cena from being any worse then it truly was. It gave a “buzz” to the show that it didn’t have weeks leading into the event.

Second, The Rock vs. John Cena heading into WrestleMania 28 had all fans excited. It’s very rare nowadays that an entire majority of wrestling fans get excited for a match and don’t honestly know who will be the winner, Rock/Cena at WrestleMania 28 brought that. It also helps that there was a good “WrestleMania buzz” heading into the event as well.

Third, WrestleMania 29 was the highest grossest WrestleMania of All-Time. Now obviously that’s not all thanks to The Rock, but he certainly played a major role in it when his match main evented that card. Throughout the entire 2-year run for The Rock he helped the WWE make a lot of money and bring them some good “pop culture” notoriety.

In America we base success off of how much money you earn and have gained. The WWE earned AND gained a lot of money when The Rock was with the company the last two years. I honestly believe the figures they have had in the last two years deserve an amount of credit to The Rock. People aren’t spending money if they don’t care, so despite what the “internet” may tell us, fans were locked in.

The “pop culture” notoriety was also a big deal for the WWE as they were able to get “mainstream” attention. The Rock is a “machine” in Hollywood nowadays and people are clamoring to see him in a wrestling ring or on the silver screen. I’ll never forget how The Rock nearly “shut down” Twitter and various other social media outlets when he returned to the WWE in February 2011. All fans were genuinely pumped to have him back and to this day his return that night is one of my favorite YouTube wrestling videos to watch due to the amount of emotion/excitement that Anaheim crowd had that night.

You can’t deny that was not a “once in a lifetime moment” in professional wrestling history.

To me the facts state that The Rock’s 2-year run with the WWE was a successful one. Could it have been better? It most certainly could have but, the “would ya, could ya, should ya’s” are exactly that. Plus I believe it’s important for fans to appreciate everything The Rock has done the last two years because let’s be honest here, he didn’t have to come back in the first place.

His heart still had love for professional wrestling and he still had love for the wrestling fan(s). For that we should all be grateful for the last two years The Rock was with the WWE, should it be his last for whatever ever reason.

For more on this topic join us for the Thursday May 9th edition of “The Still Real to Us Show” and download the show at www.wheelhouseradio.com or www.wrestlechat.net.

You can listen to Jeff on “The Bower Show” every Monday – Friday from 3pm – 7pm ET on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, CT. You can listen online at www.979espn.com

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WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

The Rock: The Epic Journey of Dwayne Johnson DVD

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One of the biggest questions leading into WWE WrestleMania 29 was whether The Undertaker would defend the streak. The Dead Man’s status will not be a question going into New Orleans as a report suggests that The Undertaker is ready to go and is already deliberating on an opponent for WrestleMania XXX.

This is great news, especially with all of the questions regarding the status of The Undertaker just weeks before WrestleMania 29. A new report on Wrestlezone.com indicates that the streak will be on the line and Undertaker is already talking possible opponents with Vince McMahon.

“Taker would like to work with either John Cena or Brock Lesnar,” a writing team member told WrestleZone exclusively. “Taker also has some ideas regarding The Shield. The whole scenario on Smackdown played out great, and Taker sees big money in those three.”

I never had a doubt that Taker would miss something as big as the 30th event but you always have to wonder when it comes to his health. Taker has taken some beatings the last few years and is noticeably slowing down in the ring. The story also reports that he will be undergoing surgeries on his right shoulder and left hip, although neither should prevent him from lacing up the boots.

Now that we know he is set to go, the big question now is who will get the chance at ending his streak. The story reports that Taker would like Brock Lesnar or John Cena to oppose him in New Orleans. Both are great choices and provide for high drama.

John Cena to me is the top choice here. I think the WWE badly missed the boat going into WrestleMania 29 on a Punk’s WWE title streak vs. Undertaker WM streak. That boat is docked and could sail again if the WWE can make the commitment to keep the WWE championship on Undertaker. The match would be huge and an appropriate main-event for something as monumental as a 30th anniversary event.

Brock Lesnar would probably be the ideal backup plan here if Cena is penciled in elsewhere. The realism here is what will make this one big. Most fans remember the confrontation between Brock and Taker at a UFC event and for those that don’t, there is plenty of time to tell that story. That real factor is something you won’t get between Undertaker and Cena. If The Rock really isn’t coming back and Brock is free, the match makes a lot of sense.

Speaking of The Rock, what about The Rock vs. Undertaker? It’s a curveball but why not? It doesn’t have the same luster as any of the other matches but it certainly has its appeal. The only problem here is that I don’t think there is anyone who would buy The Rock being the man to end the streak.

Finally what about one of The Shield members? Dean Ambrose is the immediate Shield member that comes to mind. They had an excellent match on SmackDown so you know it would be good. As far as an investment goes, you can’t get a better one here than using this match to elevate one of the younger stars of the future. I don’t know if anyone would truly buy Ambrose ending the streak but you have plenty of time to get him there if that’s the direction they want to go.

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

WWE: Undertaker – The Streak

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WWE Extreme Rules is only a few years old but it has had its share of great matches. With the 2013 edition looming, I thought it would be fun to take a look back and countdown the top five matches in WWE Extreme Rules history.

Why five and not ten? Well the simple answer is that I didn’t have a lot to work with. I only had three pay per views to work with, so coming up with ten great matches would be a stretch. I could have done it, but I felt that 6-10 would have been just matches to pad the list.

As always these are my favorite matches in Extreme Rules history. Yours may be different, so if you think I missed one leave a comment and let me know. Otherwise grab a chair, lay out a table, and climb the ladder because these are the top five matches in Extreme Rules history.

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena Extreme Rules Match (Extreme Rules 2012) -  I don’t know if it was the hype, the intrigue, or just the excitement of seeing Brock back but this worked on every level. The match played out in the ring exactly as you’d expect a match between a former UFC fighter who knows how to wrestle would against an experienced WWE wrestler. It was one of the most brutal matches of either man’s careers and blew away Brock’s other matches with Triple H since returning. I know Cena won and I know that has tarnished the match for some, but for me it didn’t get better than this in Extreme Rules history.

Jeff Hardy vs. Edge in a Ladder Match for the WWE world heavyweight championship (Extreme Rules 2009) – I sat here and tried to think of a reason not to rank this one at the top of the list and just couldn’t think of any. This match is probably remembered for the aftermath which saw CM Punk cash in. However, before Punk cashed in, Hardy and Edge had one of the great matches of this past era in WWE history.

Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio in a No Holds Barred Match for the WWE Intercontinental championship (Extreme Rules 2009) – I was a big fan of this feud as it featured a great storyline, strong promos, and some fantastic matches. This one may have been the cream of the crop for these two former WCW superstars. The finish of the match is still one of my favorites with Jericho countering the 619, tearing off the mask, and rolling up Mysterio when he tried to cover his face. This was just a fantastic match and a real showcase of their talents.

John Cena vs. Batista in a Last man Standing Match for the WWE championship (Extreme Rules 2010) – I may be a little biased here because this was one of my favorite feuds of the last couple of years. The dynamic between Batista and Cena was awesome and it worked like a charm at Extreme Rules. The big spot was John Cena hitting Batista with an Attitude Adjustment through a table. Batista worked over Cena’s leg throughout the match. The finish was a little goofy with the masking tape, but otherwise I thought they had a heck of a match.

Sheamus vs. Triple H in a Street Fight Match (Extreme Rules 2010) – This is probably a dark horse as opposed to some of the other matches you were expecting but I loved this one. This was one of the hottest matches of the event. I loved the finish here. Sheamus wound up pinning Triple H after a series of bicycle kicks. After the match, Sheamus continued attacking Triple H. As security walked Triple H to the locker room in a neck brace, Sheamus attacked him once last time. In the end, Triple H was stretchered out. Sheamus came off as a ruthless killer here, especially attacking Triple H as he was being helped to the back. I know some Triple H-aters may disagree, but this was a great one.

Bonus: Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder Match for the WWE world heavyweight championship (Extreme Rules 2011) – In my Extreme Rules 2011 recap I listed this as my favorite match of the night. Looking back I wish that these guys had more time to feud because they had tremendous chemistry on this night. The highlight of the match was Christan getting knocked off the top rope, flying onto a ladder on the outside, readjusting, and hitting a reverse plancha on Del Rio on the outside. This was just an absolutely great match and probably one of the most underrated matches of 2011.

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