5 WWE Superstars who desperately need to win at Extreme Rules 2021

Extreme Rules 2021 is only a few days away, and it looks like a promising pay-per-view. While some have pointed out the lack of matches on the card, it might not be a bad thing.

Normally, cards that have six to eight matches tend to finish quicker and deliver as well. The Extreme Rules 2021 card seems to be a straightforward one and not a pay-per-view that will drag on unnecessarily.

The overall lack of hype might also mean that Extreme Rules 2021 could quietly turn into one of the pay-per-views of the year. Here are five superstars who desperately need to win at the event:

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#5. 'The Demon' Finn Balor - Set for a big defeat at Extreme Rules 2021?

After an unsuccessful attempt at the Universal Championship on SmackDown, Finn Balor got an instant rematch for Extreme Rules 2021. This time, however, it won't be The Prince - it will be The Demon.

The match-up is a great one, especially since Roman Reigns and Balor have had incredible bouts virtually every time they faced off. Their most recent Universal title bout on the Blue brand was another example of that.

However, there is one big problem - Finn Balor is highly unlikely to beat The Tribal Chief, and one could argue that it isn't the right time or place for him to do so either.

So far, Balor has only suffered one defeat as The Demon in over six years - against Samoa Joe at Takeover: The End. That was his final NXT appearance, and WWE did a good job on the main roster of protecting his alter-ego, although their overall handling of Finn Balor was questionable.

When he moved back to NXT from 2019 to 2021, he avoided using The Demon persona, describing it as a "crutch" and a "step backward", but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Either that or the company wants to use The Demon because of its marketability aspect it. Whatever it is, Balor is in a position where he desperately needs to win at Extreme Rules 2021. But will he? It seems unlikely.

Roman Reigns is having the best run of his career, and he's doing so well that even a year into his Universal title reign, it's hard to see anyone worthy of dethroning him at the moment.

To add to that, he has Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2021 next month. WWE mentioned that if Reigns loses at the upcoming pay-per-view, the bout against Lesnar will be a non-title one, but even that seems unlikely.

#4. Liv Morgan - A throwaway match at Extreme Rules or one with future title implications?

Liv Morgan has somehow gotten on the Extreme Rules card, but the more exposure she gets on big cards, the better. During the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match this year, Michael Cole described Morgan as the "sentimental" favorite.

In hindsight, her as Ms. Money in the Bank would have been a far better long-term option over Nikki A.S.H., whose RAW Women's title reign lasted less than a month. But perhaps that sums up WWE's short-term planning.

Liv Morgan challenged Carmella to a match at Extreme Rules, and although there are no implications at the moment, it could be one to determine who takes a step closer to the SmackDown Women's Championship.

Carmella has entered SmackDown Women's title contention this year but failed to replicate the success of 2017-18. At Extreme Rules, she will look to gain momentum. But Morgan needs the victory at the pay-per-view far more than she does.

The spot on the match card itself is a step in the right direction for Liv Morgan. A victory and continued momentum can lead to her popularity as a babyface rising.

#3. Alexa Bliss - A singles title win after three years at Extreme Rules?

Alexa Bliss will face Charlotte Flair for the RAW Women's Championship at Extreme Rules. Although Bliss has had multiple Women's Tag Team Championship reigns in the past couple of years, she hasn't replicated her singles success.

When looking at late 2020 until now, the direction that she has taken has been different. She seemingly "merged" with Bray Wyatt and took his character forward after his WWE release.

Be that as it may, Charlotte Flair vs Alexa Bliss is a good pay-per-view quality match-up. The last time Bliss was the RAW Women's Champion was in 2018, and that was the last bit of singles success she had from a championship point of view.

Three years ago, Alexa Bliss defended the RAW Women's title at Extreme Rules, but she went on to lose the title the following pay-per-view to Ronda Rousey.

Bliss is in a position where she desperately needs to win the RAW Women's title at the upcoming pay-per-view. It would get a great fan reaction. Although losing wouldn't hurt her in the long run, it also means that The Queen would be subject to yet another short championship reign.

#2. Damian Priest - A win at Extreme Rules can prove vital

At Extreme Rules 2021, Damian Priest will defend the United States Championship against Sheamus and Jeff Hardy in a Triple Threat match. WWE rarely ever gets triple threat or fatal-four-way matches wrong, so this should be an instant classic.

The key factor in this match is Priest's momentum. There are few superstars on the WWE roster who have enjoyed the same success as he has. While he undoubtedly benefited from his association with Bad Bunny at WrestleMania 37, his momentum continued leading into the summer.

His incredible singles undefeated run culminated at SummerSlam as he dethroned Sheamus to become the new United States Champion. Since then, he has even pinned two-time WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and future Hall of Famer Jeff Hardy.

Despite Hardy's lack of momentum, he managed to earn a slot in the United States title match, defeating Sheamus to earn the spot. For Damian Priest, this is a crucial title defense. He desperately needs the win to preserve his momentum going forward.

While WWE could easily have him lose the title at Extreme Rules without him getting pinned, it would be lazy handling of the US title. Priest has had an incredible year and desperately needs to win at event - far more than Sheamus or Jeff Hardy.

#1. Bianca Belair - A win for bragging rights at Extreme Rules

Bianca Belair will have one of the biggest matches of her career at Extreme Rules. She will face the SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch. At SummerSlam 2021, Belair was originally scheduled for a WrestleMania rematch against Sasha Banks.

However, that didn't work out for unknown reasons and Banks was replaced at the last minute by the returning Becky Lynch. The Man quietly turned heel and beat Belair in less than half a minute - a decision that still bewilders fans over a month on.

Bianca Belair was the pillar of the SmackDown Women's division for over four months in 2021, so to have Lynch topple her in that manner seems bizarre. However, WWE has handled Belair well since and at Extreme Rules, she will have a proper match against The Man.

It could be argued that Bianca Belair desperately needs the win at Extreme Rules - more so than anybody on this list barring Finn Balor. This match will have the SmackDown Women's title on the line, but it will also be about bragging rights.

With that said, the chances of Becky Lynch retaining at the pay-per-view seems far higher.