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The Horror Show at Extreme Rules 2020 is here! Welcome to this month's PPV preview edition. It's a relatively light card, with only seven matches as a whole set to occupy the show. While there will likely be a last-minute match added to the Kickoff show, the seven matches don't present the strongest card there is.
Either way, it's these kinds of cards that end up delivering. Let's jump right into the Extreme Rules preview!
#7. Braun Strowman vs Bray Wyatt - Wyatt Swamp match at Extreme Rules
The theme "The Horror Show at Extreme Rules" seems to have been inspired and centered around this match. It's a bit odd centering Extreme Rules around a non-Extreme Rules match and one where the Universal Championship isn't even on the line.
Regardless, the Boneyard match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 proved that a cinematic match can headline a show if done right. While it's going to be hard to reach that level, the story for this match could make it something special.
We've seen the return of The Eater of Worlds Bray Wyatt after two years in what we expect to be a one-off appearance. Regardless, the story has been about the history between Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt and it's brought out a side of the Universal Champion we've never seen before.
On the SmackDown before Extreme Rules just a couple of days ago, Braun Strowman maniacally destroyed John Morrison. Everything seemed to suggest that he was ready for the Swamp match at Extreme Rules, but there could be a few twists in store.
Just like the Firefly Fun House match at WrestleMania 36, we expect this to be a trip down memory lane. While we also expect Bray Wyatt to win, one major twist could be a Braun Strowman heel turn.
The Braun Strowman we saw two days before Extreme Rules was anything but a babyface and he could be on the verge of turning again.
#6. The New Day (c) vs Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura - Tables match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship
This could be the match that steals the show. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura have had The New Day's number and have only been finding success against them.
On the SmackDown before Extreme Rules, Cesaro defeated Big E to earn the right to choose a stipulation for the Tag Team title match. He won and the duo opted for a Tables match at Extreme Rules.
It could be the only title change of the night, but the story of Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura having The New Day's number could conclude at Extreme Rules.
#5. Bayley (c) vs Nikki Cross - SmackDown Women's Championship
We're more than 280 days into Bayley's second SmackDown Women's Championship reign and had it not been for the five-day hiccup between the two reigns, she would have been well over 420 days into her first reign.
Either way, she's been the most dominant female Superstar in SmackDown history and her reign will be looked back on as perhaps the most significant Women's title reign in the four years since the title was introduced.
She faces Nikki Cross in an interesting match-up and while Alexa Bliss might be at ringside, we don't expect Bayley's title reign to end just yet.
#4. Rey Mysterio vs Seth Rollins - Eye for an Eye match
In WWE's first "Eye for an Eye" match at Extreme Rules, Rey Mysterio will attempt to get revenge on Seth Rollins for nearly gouging his eye out on the steel steps last month. The rivalry escalated and Mysterio's son Dominik got involved in the feud as well.
Rey Mysterio won a tag team match and decided that their Extreme Rules match would have an "Eye for an Eye" stipulation, where the Superstar wins after they "extract" an eye from their competitor.
It's an odd stipulation, but we could see an Eyepatch Seth Rollins soon if he loses.
#3. Asuka (c) vs Sasha Banks - RAW Women's Championship
This is another match that we feel has the potential to steal the show at Extreme Rules. Two former NXT Women's Champions face off for the RAW Women's Championship. While Sasha Banks is one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions on SmackDown, she jumped over to RAW to challenge Asuka in a time where The Empress doesn't have many challengers around.
We don't see Sasha Banks beating Asuka and permanently moving to RAW. It should be a great match and a great win for the Champion.
#2. Apollo Crews (c) vs MVP - United States Championship
Apollo Crews' second PPV title defense comes at Extreme Rules 2020 and his opponent is a man who he defeated to originally qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match this year - MVP.
MVP recognizes Apollo Crews' potential but hasn't taken kindly to his rejection of managerial services from the WWE veteran. We all know how MVP has turned things around for Bobby Lashley and the same could be for Apollo Crews. But they now find themselves on the opposite sides.
MVP defeated Crews in a non-title match thanks to help from Lashley and it's clear that he's been relying on him just as much. Apollo Crews will look to get one over MVP when he defends the United States title against him at Extreme Rules.
This is one of two matches that don't have any stipulation attached to it, but it's going to be interesting to see if Cedric Alexander or Ricochet play a role in the match at Extreme Rules.
#1. Drew McIntyre (c) vs Dolph Ziggler - TBA stipulation for the WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship reign may not look great if you only look at the television ratings. While multiple circumstances are surrounding that, there hasn't been much criticism of Drew McIntyre as the WWE Champion. He's had two title defenses on PPV so far and his third PPV title defense will be at Extreme Rules against Dolph Ziggler.
He's had two great defenses so far against Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley and we expect this to be another fantastic match for him.
Dolph Ziggler won a mixed tag team match to decide which stipulation he wants but he's purposely withheld the information to prevent giving Drew McIntyre time to prepare.
It's a weird situation because if it isn't an Extreme Rules match, calling the PPV "Extreme Rules" seems a bit pointless. At the same time, it would come off as predictable as well. Either way, nobody seems to be giving Dolph Ziggler a chance and neither do we.
