6 concept matches from Extreme Rules that didn't work

It should come as no surprise that Extreme Rules is one of WWE’s most popular pay-per-views, because outside the big four pay-per-views, Extreme Rules is the longest running active pay-per-view. It’s less than two weeks before Extreme Rules marks its’ eleventh consecutive pay-per-view event.

One of the main reasons why Extreme Rules is so popular is due to the variety of concept matches they have that can usually only be seen on this pay-per-view. With one week to go, it is a certainty that this themed pay-per-view will have a number of concept matches on the night, either having classic concept matches that the WWE Universe have come to know and love, or introducing a brand new concept match, not forgetting the traditional ‘Extreme Rules’ match.

However, one of the main challenges of introducing a new concept match is that it needs to deliver a high-quality match that the WWE Universe will want to see again and again. In some cases, it’s proven to be successful and certain concept matches such as the Elimination Chamber match or a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match, which have their own pay-per-views.

However, this isn’t the case for every new concept match as some matches at Extreme Rules have failed to make any impact and are simply brushed aside as a failed experiment.

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#6 Strap/Russian Chain Match

Sheamus and Mark Henry face each other back at Extreme Rules 2013

One concept match that has featured fairly frequently over the years at Extreme Rules is none other than the Strap match, or in the case of the ‘Hero of the Russian Federation’ Rusev, a Russian Chain match.

The concept is simple enough – two wrestlers are tied up together with a strap (or chain) and the objective is to hit all four corners of the ring before your opponent does. However, the key problem with the format of this match is the manner in which the wrestlers needs to win. Due to the fact that each wrestler needs to hit all four corners of the ring in relatively quick time, it usually leads to one wrestler walking around the ring, whilst their opponent pulls onto the strap to stop them from hitting the last corner. This in turn actually leads more towards a Tug of War match and very little wrestling in the actual match itself.

A number of wrestlers in the past have competed in this match at Extreme Rules, including the likes of CM Punk and Umaga in 2009, JTG and Chad in 2010, and Sheamus and Mark Henry in 2013. Unfortunately, all of these matches were an afterthought at the end of the night and all seemed to fall flat.

The last variant of this type of match happened at Extreme Rules in 2015, when Rusev took on John Cena in a Russian Chain match for the United States Championship. Whilst this match was solid on the surface, the fact that Rusev couldn’t win a match in which he picked the stipulation has ruined the possibility of any future matches and as such, this type of match hasn’t featured in the last three Extreme Rules pay-per-views.

#5 Asylum Match

Whilst the ending was unforgettable, the rest of the first Asylum match in WWE was sub-par, suggesting why there hasn't been another one since

Another concept match that didn’t work at Extreme Rules is the Asylum match. The match is very similar to a steel cage match, with the key differences being that there are several weapons above the cage, and the wrestlers can only win by pinfall or submission, eliminating the possibility of winning by escaping the cage.

Its one and only appearance occurred back in 2016 where Dean Ambrose took on Chris Jericho. On the surface, the match looked promising with two exceptional talents in the ring contesting WWE’s first ever Asylum match.

However, even though the end of the match delivered one of the most memorable and shocking moments in Extreme Rules history where Ambrose threw Jericho on a bunch of thumb tacks before delivering Dirty Deeds to him, the match was overall a little bit underwhelming.

This is why it should be no surprise the Asylum match didn’t feature in the following Extreme Rules pay-per-views or anywhere else in the WWE in the past three years.

#4 Extreme Makeover Match

Beth Phoenix and Michelle McCool contest in WWE's first and only Extreme Makeover match.

One concept match that won’t remembered in WWE history is none other than the first and only Extreme Makeover match, which happened at Extreme Rules in 2010. The match is not much different to a hardcore match, with the key difference being that the weapons in this match all relate to a makeover of some kind, including an ironing board, hairspray and countless other make-up products.

Beth Phoenix and Michelle McCool were the only two wrestlers that competed in this concept match, and whilst they tried to work with what little they had, due to the fact that most of the make-up products can’t (and weren’t) used as weapons, it was somewhat confusing to understand what the point of this match actually was.

Whilst the match may be memorable to Beth Phoenix for winning the match and becoming WWE Women’s Champion for a third time, the rest of the WWE have long forgotten about this.

In this new era of women’s wrestling where female wrestlers are proving they can and will compete on the same level as men similar other concept matches such as the Elimination Chamber match or a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match, it’s now simply unfathomable to see a match like an Extreme Makeover again in the WWE.

#3 Tag Team Country Whipping Match

Introducing a new concept match with people that weren't wrestlers was never going to work

If there is one rule about introducing a new concept match, it's that the people competing in it should be reputable wrestlers. The first ever Hell in a Cell match was between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. The first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match was contested by The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge and Christian.

In the case of the first ever Tag Team Country Whipping match at Extreme Rules 2011, the WWE went in a complete different direction as it was between the tag teams of Jack Swagger and Michael Cole against Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler.

If you take into consideration that two of the participants in this match (Cole and Ross) weren’t wrestlers, and Lawler was over sixty years old and his heyday was well and truly behind him, this match was set out to be a disaster from the start.

Whilst this match also involves a strap, there are fundamental differences between a tag team country whipping match and a strap match. This includes the fact that each wrestler has their own strap and they have to win by pinfall or submission rather than touching all four corners of the ring.

Unsurprisingly, this match has only appeared once at Extreme Rules and considering the match was hardly a memorable one, it would be a shock to the WWE Universe if it ever comes back again.

#2 Kendo Stick on a Pole match

Alexa Bliss celebrating after beating Bayley in a very forgettable match

When Nikki Cross caused an upset by pinning SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, it has now led to Alexa Bliss and Bayley meeting once again at Extreme Rules for the second time in three years. However, their encounter at Extreme Rules 2017 is one that they will want to forget.

After feuding for several months, it culminated at Extreme Rules in which they fought in a Kendo Stick on a Pole match. The objective of the match was to retrieve a kendo stick from a pole, which then allowed you to use it against your opponent.

Whilst the match had the potential to be a good concept match, the delivery of the outcome was far from it. The whole premise of this match stemmed from the question of whether Bayley would attack one of her opponents with a weapon.

Unfortunately, a lot of the actual match still focused on whether or not Bayley would use the kendo stick, meaning very little happened in the actual match. In the end, Bliss’s unrelenting attack with the weapon made this match both very short and very forgettable.

Whilst the Women’s Revolution continue to break barriers in the WWE, it is fair to say that they may not have another Kendo Stick on a Pole match again.

#1 Handicap Hog Pen match

'Santina' Marella looks at the 'ring' he'll have to be participating in

If there is one concept match that towers among the other concept matches from Extreme Rules that didn’t work is none other than that Handicap Hogpen match.

This match all started for the right to be called ‘Miss WrestleMania’, a title that was won at WrestleMania XXV by Santina Marella (Santino Marella dressing up as his fictitious twin sister). Marella would go on to lose this title to Vickie Guerrero a month later before challenging her in a rematch at Extreme Rules 2009 in a Hog Pen match.

With the match physically being in a makeshift Hog Pen with real pigs on one side, it would be naïve for anyone from the WWE Universe to think that this match would deliver anything except disaster.

The match started with Vickie Guerrero announcing that her nephew, Chavo, would join her to face Marella. In this very short match consisting of people throwing mud at each other, it all ended when Vickie entered the match only to get pinned. Suffice to say this match never took place at Extreme Rules or anywhere else in the WWE again.