Friday, April 27, 2012

Head 2 Head: WWE Extreme Rules




Here we go again with another edition of Head 2 Head here at Two Spot Monkeys!  Tom has pulled ahead after Wrestlemania, 12-8 to 11-9 over Jim.  Will the standings change after Extreme Rules?  We shall see!  Jim will be live in Chicago for Extreme Rules, so look for a live report to be posted here on Monday! 

US Title Match – Pre-show
Santino Marella (C) vs. The Miz

JIM:  Wow, how far the mighty have fallen.  The Miz wins the main event of Wrestlemania 27, then wins the 12 man tag at Wrestlemania 28, which gives John Lauranitis control of both Raw and Smackdown, and his thank you gift at the next PPV is a pre-show match against Santino Marella for the US Title.  Ugh.  I have heard he is a bit in the dog house, and it seems fairly certain here.  On top of that, I see no chance of him winning here, Marella goes over for sure. 

TOM:  I have to admit, when I caught RAW last Monday and this was advertised, I wondered “Why?”  Santino was pretty over and I believe remains over with the fans.  Miz, well, Jim summed his drop pretty well.  Could WWE book a title change to make their pre-show or YouTube shows mean more?  Possibly, but I don’t think they care enough…yet.  Santino gets the win.

Intercontinental Title Match – Stipulation To Be Determined
The Big Show (C) vs. Cody Rhodes

JIM:  This is the biggest pick’em on the show for me, as I can make a good case either way.  Show has only had the title since ‘Mania, so, to take it off him so soon might seem strange.  But, the story was about Show getting a “Wrestlemania Moment”.  He’s done that…so what’s left for him?  Unless Cody Rhodes is headed to the main event (and it doesn’t seem like he is yet), I think you put the IC belt back on him and let him have another good run with it.  Cody Rhodes by shenanigans is my pick!

TOM:  I’m somewhat surprised this isn’t Show vs. Alberto Del Rio.  That is the way I though things were building, yet I am glad Cody get his title shot.  With the stip not being announced until Sunday, it really does make this a pick’em of sorts, as Jim alludes to.  Show has been booked like crap since winning the title, but Cody hasn’t been a world beater either…  I guess it comes down to would Cody re-gaining the title or Show dropping it to someone else mean more?  I go with the latter and thus, Big Show is my pick.

Falls Count Anywhere
Randy Orton vs. Kane

JIM:  As most of you know, I just haven’t been into anything Kane has done since he’s been back.  I really expected Orton to win at Mania and end the feud, but this HAS to be the end of the feud.  I hate Falls Count Anywhere matches when I’m at a WWE show live, as invariably we’ll end up watching the screen for a good part of it while they are backstage…but oh well.  Orton has to win here right?  I mean…right?  Yeah, I’ll go with him. 

TOM:  I am more apathetic to this feud than Jim...and that says something because he dislikes Kane and this matter something fierce.  Randy Orton, final answer.

World Heavyweight Title Match – 2 out of 3 Falls
Sheamus (C) vs. Daniel Bryan

JIM:  I really want to pick Bryan here, I really do.  But, it’s only because he’s on of my favorites going right now (and has been moving up my list of all time favorites for years as well).  So, selfishly, I want Bryan as World Champ, because he’s just awesome.  But, let’s be honest here, Sheamus is obviously a guy who WWE is behind in a big way.  Honestly, if he has any chance to get over as champ, they need to get him away from Bryan for now as quickly as they can, as the crowds are going to turn on him even more as time goes on if he stays programmed with Bryan.  My guess is Sheamus goes down 0-1 to start the match, and then has to play catch up, and wins 2-1, and moves on to Alberto Del Rio next. 

TOM:  No this is where business should pick up.  I am just giddy that there were be more than one fall in this match, so even if something cheap (like ‘Mania) goes down, there will be more to the body of the match.  One thing that is strongly on my mind is that Alberto Del Rio already has an earned title match in waiting and he seems likely to challenge at “Over The Limit” in May.  Sheamus wins here, but Daniel Bryan hopefully remains strong YES! YES! YES!

WWE Title – Chicago Street Fight
CM Punk (C) vs. Chris Jericho

JIM:  I really expected Jericho to win at Wrestlemania to set up Punk winning here in his home town.  But, with Jericho apparently getting ready to head back out with Fozzy before long here, I think Punk gets his vindication here and destroys Jericho in a hell of a Street Fight.  Part of me wouldn’t be shocked at a Jericho win, but in my heart of hearts, I gotta go with CM Punk in this one!

TOM:  I was ready to pick Jericho here, but Jim’s note about Fozzy gives me second thoughts.  This has been really weird, because for the strength of Jericho’s psychological games he has played on Punk, you’d think he’d be more in his head going into this match.  Punk turned the tide on that last Monday and does seal this feud and moves on from Jericho with a big win in his hometown of Chicago.

Extreme Rules Match
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar

JIM:  I am so, so pumped to see this live!  Lesnar’s return to a WWE ring, and in an Extreme Rules match, so it should hide any ring rust he’s got in a wrestling ring.  You don’t bring Lesnar back to have him job to Super Cena one month later, you’ve got to build up Lesnar as the unstoppable monster, so Lesnar absolutely has to win here, and probably goes to Raw to make even more demands of Johnny Ace.  Brock Lesnar is the winner here, and it should be a hell of a lot of fun getting there!

TOM:  I gotta say, I am going to be less than 30 minutes from the venue and the live PPV Sunday with my family, but after a day at the Aquarium and ROH the night before, I just can’t pull this show off.  And to add to it, it is FREAKIN’ Cena-Lesnar!!!  A twist was thrown in with Brock on Monday as he made high demands on John Laurinaitis and they were met.  I am intrigued if WWE allows faux-MMA to make up this contest, as Brock uses that as an asset versus the weaponry employed by Cena.  In the end, Brock has to win.  You don’t bring him back without big-time plans and you begin to get to those plans with a significant win over the face of WWE.

There you have it.  Jim and Tom differ by 1 pick yet again.  Will it even the score or will Tom’s lead increase?  Check back for our live reaction to the weekend and REACT as well early next week!

No comments:

Post a Comment