Hi Dave,

 

 

Thumbs up

 

Best Match-Cena vs. Lesnar

 

Worst Match-Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes {I don't feel The Divas should ever be a part of this category}

 

I'd like to begin by saying that "Feedback" is supposed to be thoughts about the shows, as well as whatever stands out in each individuals' mind, not an entire event "Review" & especially not a match by match recap, all of which is done by Journalists like yourself especially. That said, here are my thoughts about the Lesnar/Cena situation & match.

 

To the point, Lesnar doesn't want to wrestle, was in for a 1 or 2 shot deal {Taker at WM maybe?}, and was the guy to not only erase Cena's loss to Rock but also to try & make him more of a fan favorite. Cena took a real beating, even giving "The Haters" what they wanted. He is now bigger then ever before & the MMA beater. When he "returns" he will be huge, as in stature. Whether the boos will change is yet to be seen. But if anything can change that, this would've.

 

We were all led to believe Lesnar signed a 1 year contract, that he would be groomed to be in one of the big matches at WM, & couldn't understand why he was facing Cena so soon. Everything makes sense now. I can see all of those stipulations Lesnar demanded last week now leading to him either quitting or being fired on RAW tomorrow night after Big Johnny reneges on those demands because Lesnar lost. No, there shall be no "RAW, Starring Brock Lesnar". Again, Lesnar does not want to be in Wrestling. We were all swerved & mislead. Well done Vince & co.! Overall good show.

 

John F. Raad, WON Producer.

Thumbs up
Best match Lesnar vs Cena
Worst match Big Show vs Cody Rhodes
 
Im torn I loved everything about the main event till the perplexing finish, I was on the edge of my seat entire match and than that, it left me with such a taste that I wanted to hate it. I still give it a thumbs up because the main was awesome before that and the Bryan vs Sheamus and Punk vs Jericho matches also delivered big.
 
Wade Haugen


WWE Extreme Rules: Big Thumbs Up despite some disappointment
BEST MATCH: Lesner/Cena
WORST MATCH: Big Show/Cody

Hi, Dave and Bryan


I thought Extreme Rules was a great PPV until that confounding finish.

I only really paid attention to the three big matches; everything else was decent enough filler (Dolph is the best bumper in the business, and I loved the "Goldberg" chants during the Ryback match) for a B-level PPV.

Bryan/Sheamus was fantastic; however, I didn't like the abrupt ending with the Brogue Kick. It seemed to be building to something more, but he just ended up hitting it and getting the three. Still, I loved the strategy of Bryan at the beginning in wearing the big man down, and they still put Bryan over big despite the loss. Another note: Michael Cole was pretty darn good in selling not just the match, but the strategy in Bryan's gameplan. It's a huge positive how they've toned Cole down, and he's been doing a helluva job lately in trying to get the matches over instead of doing bad comedy bits with the other announcers.

Punk/Jericho was good but surprisingly not super intense or memorable. Plodding and only interesting in spurts. Really about a 3 star match, but I would give it the extra 1/4 star because, halleluiah, they didn't do a lock up to start their STREET FIGHT! Some of the spots actually hurt the main event (So you're telling me Jericho kicks out after an elbow drop through the table, but the monster Brock Lesner gets pinned after being hit with a chain and Cena's finisher?) later, but still, they laid out a good match; it was just odd how the match lacked a lot of intensity aside from the bit where Jericho went to attack Punk's sister which really seemed to fire up the crowd (as did the subsequent intensity and violence in Punk's actions), but it just seemed lacking for how long it was. I loved Punk's celebration at the end.

Lesner/Cena: Again, Cole was great before and during this match, just selling the hell out of the entire thing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole match thinking, "Damn, they're going to do it right!" And then they did their usuall WWE ending. Unfortunately, unlike the last time they were in Chicago for a PPV, they didn't go with the obvious (and smart and correct) finish for a much heated, much anticipated main event. It was still a great match with a great crowd that was just so different than anything WWE has done recently (until that ending).

It reminded me a bit of the Diesel/Shawn In Your House (Good Friends, Better Enemies) grudge match where Shawn survives a brutal beating at the hands of a sadistic bad ass that is only interested in killing their opponent. When Lesner finally did go for his pin, I thought the ref bump -- although contrived -- was a good touch since I figured Cena was going over. They had me fooled for awhile, though, as the layout for this match was 5 stars. Just awesome main event booking and drama until that ending. It's not that Cena won (really he survived it; it's not like this was a typical Cena match where he puts his opponent away, and fans walk away thinking Cena has just beaten "another guy"), but it was more in how they had him win. Why not have Brock kick out at like 3 1/2 and then kill Cena after he got the pin and stretcher him out if Cena is just going to leave anyways? Cena's speech was nice, and it actually got him over with the Chicago crowd (amazing that Cena can be a good babyface when he's not SuperCena...what a noble concept!), but it also kind of killed how awesome the match was.

I'm sure Lesner will come out and just destroy Cena tomorrow night -- injuring him in front of a much larger television audience. At least, I hope that's what they do.

Still, this was a fantastic B-level PPV with three good-to-great matches; despite some nits to pick here and there, this Extreme Rules was an easy thumbs up!


Kevin J. Olson
Salem, OR