The WWE creative team has been hard at work putting the finishing details to the Extreme Rules 2011 card. Extreme Rules has seen new matches, new stips and a big change in the last 24 hours. A WrestleMania 27 rematch and an added stipulation round out the latest updates.
WWE.com announced that Randy Orton vs. CM Punk in a WrestleMania 27 rematch will go down at Extreme Rules. To get into the “extreme” spirit, Punk vs. Orton will be a Last Man Standing Match. I predicted that this would be added to the card last week, although I was expecting an I Quit Match.
[adinserter block=”2″] The fun doesn’t stop there. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler will be bringing their ripped jeans, cowboy boots, and leather belts to Extreme Rules after today’s announcement. Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross vs. Michael Cole and Jack Swagger will now be a Street Fight Match. I may be wrong, but I believe this is Lawler’s first ever Street Fight in the WWE although he may have had one with Bret Hart.
The news follows a day in which John Morrison replaced R-Truth in the main-event WWE championship match. Morrison defeated R-Truth on RAW in London to win the spot in the match. Additionally, the The Miz vs. John Cena vs. John Morrison match will now be held inside of a Steel Cage.
The addition of Punk vs. Orton is a well needed boost to the card. While I am not a fan of either guy, they do have great chemistry together and have had two really good matches. Their WrestleMania 27 bout was arguably one of the best on the card and their match on RAW from London was also very good.
This is also good news for Randy Orton fans. One of Randy Orton’s best career matches came at WWE One Night Stand in 2008, which was the predecessor for Extreme Rules. Triple H defeated Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing Match on the show in the co-main event. The match was voted the WWE 2008 Match of the Year. It should also be noted that Orton broke his collar bone in the match. With Edge now gone, the WWE is taking a huge risk putting Orton in the same kind of match that resulted in a major injury to the Viper.
My hunch is that the WWE is rushing the conclusion of the feud due to one of these two leaving for SmackDown. Most fans and media believe that Orton is a lock to go to SmackDown on next Monday’s WWE Draft. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see CM Punk actually be the one to go between the two. SmackDown needs a top babyface, but the right kind of finish here could turn Punk into a strong babyface if that is the road they wish to take with him.
[adinserter block=”1″] It is a bit odd though that Orton has defeated Punk twice in their two big matches. The win at WrestleMania 27 and London’s RAW really necessitates the need for the match altogether in my opinion. Punk really needs to lay Orton out next Monday night in order to get steam back on this one.
Ross and Lawler vs. Cole and Swagger in a Street Fight is nothing that excites me. As a matter of a fact, the match has the chance of turning comical at this point. It is funny because a month ago I loved the Lawler vs. Cole feud. Today, I think it has burned out, especially after that ridiculous angle in London on RAW.
With the 2011 WWE Draft taking place the Monday before Extreme Rules, I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see more changes made to the card. As a matter of a fact I would almost bet that R-Truth winds up in the main-event and it turns into a Fatal Four Way Match. The results of the draft are also likely to impact fan interest in several of the headlining matches going into the show.
The Current 2011 WWE Extreme Rules Card…
John Cena vs. The Miz vs. John Morrison…Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE championship
Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian…Ladder Match for the WWE world heavyweight championship
CM Punk vs. Randy Orton…Last Man Standing Match
Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross vs. Jack Swagger and Michael Cole…Street Fight Match
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