To go along with our typical live coverage of all TNA and WWE PPVs, Inside Pulse is now covering the shows live on Twitter as well including tonight’s WWE Extreme Rules PPV.
Pulse News and Feature writer Matt Harrak will be providing his Quick Quips live through the Pulse Wrestling Twitter account, @pulsewrestling.
So be sure to check out both InsidePulse.com AND Twitter.com/PulseWrestling tonight for all your PPV coverage.
Let’s take a look at the card –
1. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules Match)
2. World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan (2-out-of-3 Falls Match)
3. WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight)
4. Randy Orton vs. Kane (Falls Count Anywhere Match)
5. Intercontinental Champion Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes
6. United States Champion Santino Marella vs. The Miz
7. Divas Champion Nikki Bella vs. Beth Phoenix
The opening video package is all about Brock Lesnar and John Cena, as it should be. Michael Cole, Booker T, and Jerry Lawler are on commentary.
On the YouTube preshow, Santino Marella beat The Miz to retain the United States Title, and they spun the wheel and made the deal for Cody Rhodes versus Big Show and it’s going to be a Tables Match.
MATCH #1: Falls Count Anywhere Match – Randy Orton vs. Kane
They quickly take the brawl to the floor and Kane is in control. Orton fights back with the lead pipe, but Kane cuts him off with a shot to the throat. They fight into the crowd and continue trading shots. I lose track of the match as we order a pizza from Domino’s. Seriously, if you haven’t ordered online from them and done the Pizza Tracker thing, it is TREMENDOUS. It’s way more fun to order pizza than it should be. I come back with Kane going for a Tombstone on a steel chair, but Orton slips out and hits the RKO for the win.
WINNER – Randy Orton (**ish)
Backstage – Eve, John Laurinaitis and Teddy Long are hanging out. Teddy pours champagne for his superiors. Even Johnny’s ringtone is tremendous. Triple H calls the GM of both shows and Johnny leaves to talk to him in a more private place.
MATCH #2: Brodus Clay with Hornswoggle, Naomi & Cameron vs. Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero & Jack Swagger
I’m surprised they’re not doing a tag team match. The crowd is really into Ziggler, and he throws Clay to the floor right quick. Swagger gets a cheap shot in. Back in the ring Brodus uses his power to fight back and the crowd does not like it. Ziggler goes back to work and Clay uses his power to try and fight him off. Clay unleashes a flurry of offense, even knocking Swagger off the apron. Ziggler charges into Clay and gets knocked out with a headbutt. Clay follows with the Big Splash for the pin.
WINNER – Brodus Clay (*¾)
MATCH #3: Tables Match for the Intercontinental Championship – Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes
Show has been the Champion since 4.1.12, and this is his first defense. The Champ dominates from the get-go, as you might expect. Show brings the first table into the ring and Rhodes avoids going through it and hits the Beautiful Disaster kick. That’s a cool spot. Show resumes control and brings another table into the ring. He gets on the apron and Rhodes dropkicks him, and Show steps backwards on a table, breaking it! That means Rhodes is the new Intercontinental Champion! I’m sure people will bitch about that finish but I thought it was clever.
WINNER – Cody Rhodes, New Intercontinental Champion (**)
Show is angry and he sets up another table and Chokeslams Rhodes through it as the crowd thunderously boos. The crowd then chants “one more time” so Show press slams Rhodes from the ring through a table on the floor. This crowd is highly schizophrenic.
Edge has a new DVD out, if you didn’t know.
Backstage – Matt Striker gets a word with Daniel Bryan. He says he is better than Sheamus in every way, and he promises to become a two-time World Heavyweight Champion tonight. AJ is shown lurking in the background.
MATCH #4: Two-out-of-Three Falls Match for the World Heavyweight Title – Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan
Sheamus has been the Champion since 4.1.12, and this is his first defense. The crowd reactions here are so weird. Sheamus scores the first knockdown. They pass the 18-second mark and Bryan avoids a Brogue Kick. Sheamus goes to work on the arm. The crowd chants Yes. Sheamus hits a Finlay Roll for two. He then locks on a Texas Cloverleaf. Bryan reaches the bottom rope and then grabs a quick inside cradle for two. Sheamus goes back to work with strikes. Bryan fights back with the running clothesline, sending Sheamus to the floor. He tries a dive off the apron but Sheamus catches him and rams him into the barricade. Back in the ring Bryan takes control and goes to work on the arm. Sheamus comes back with a fallaway slam for two. Bryan gets a schoolboy rollup for two. Sheamus goes up top for a shoulderblock and gets two. They spill to the floor and Bryan goes for a dive but Sheamus cuts him off. Back in the ring Sheamus goes for the Pale Justice but Bryan avoids it and gets a sunset flip for two. Bryan goes for the Yes Lock but can’t cinch it in. Sheamus charges and misses, ramming his own shoulder into the post. Bryan joins Sheamus on the floor and continues to abuse his shoulder. Back in the ring Bryan unleashes a flurry of kicks to the shoulder and the referee disqualifies Bryan for not breaking on five!
Right at the onset of the second fall Bryan locks on the Yes Lock and Sheamus passes out to give Bryan the second fall! The ringside doctor checks on Sheamus as Bryan leads the crowd in a chant of YES. Some are chanting NO. Either way the crowd is into this match. Sheamus decides he wants to continue, and Bryan runs straight into a Brogue Kick! Bryan is able to kick out. Back on their feet Bryan goes back to work on the shoulder, and lands a knockout kick to the head. Sheamus kicks out at two. Bryan goes up top and Sheamus clubs away at him. Sheamus goes for a superplex but Bryan headbutts him down. Bryan tries the diving headbutt but he misses. Back on their feet Bryan misses a charge in the corner and Sheamus lands a couple of Axe Bombers. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse and then a solid Brogue Kick and that’s enough for Sheamus to get the win and retain the title. No AJ?
WINNER – Sheamus (****¼)
I just got a text message saying that “Beth Phoenix is not medically cleared to compete. A mystery opponent will challenge Nikki Bella 2nite @ Extreme Rules.”
Next month is Over the Limit.
MATCH #5: Aaron Relic & Jay Hatton vs. Ryback
Santino Marella and The Great Khali are watching backstage. The crowd chants “Goldberg.” Ryback dominates both guys and pins them both after a backpack stunner to one of them and the Muscle Buster to the other.
WINNER – Ryback (*)
Backstage – CM Punk promises to defeat Chris Jericho in front of his family and friends tonight and retain the WWE Championship.
MATCH #6: WWE Championship Chicago Street Fight – CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
Jericho is wearing jeans with his kneepads on the outside. Punk is also wearing jeans and has a bandana wrapped around his leg. Nice job guys. Obviously Punk is massively over. The fight starts right away and the go to the floor. Punk is all over Jericho and throws a chair into the ring. He also brings a kendo stick and uses it well. Jericho comes back with an eye poke. He follows with the springboard dropkick, sending Punk to the floor. They fight over by the announce table and Jericho is in control. Back in the ring Punk misses a charge and hits his knee on the turnbuckle. They take the fight over by Punk’s sister, and Jericho slams Punk’s head off the barricade. Punk’s sister slaps Jericho’s face and Jericho goes after her, which just fires up Punk. The crowd is losing it too. Punk rips apart the announce tables and slams Jericho. The challenger weathers the storm and slams one of the monitors on Punk’s back. In the ring Jericho uses a chinlock (really?) as the crowd tries to get Punk back into the match. Punk does just that and tries the springboard clothesline but he slips on the top rope and Jericho cracks him with the kendo stick. Jericho goes under the ring and finds a can of beer and pours it on the Straightedge Superstar. Punk gets angry and fires back with the kendo stick. He hits the running knee in the corner and then the bulldog. Punk hits a low blow with the stick. He goes up top but Jericho knocks him down. Punk knocks Jericho off the top and hits the Randy Savage elbow for a two-count. He tries Go 2 Sleep but Jericho counters it and throws Punk into a chair wedged in the corner for a two-count. Jericho hits the Codebreaker and then locks on the Walls of Jericho. Punk crawls over to the corner and is able to find a fire extinguisher from under the ring. He sprays Jericho with it and uses it as a weapon. Out on the floor he gets Jericho splayed on the announce table and follows him out with a Savage Elbow to break the table. Back in the ring Punk puts on the Anaconda Vise. Jericho grabs the kendo stick and cracks Punk with it. Punk picks up the steel chair but Jericho cuts him off with a Codebreaker! That was awesome but it still only gets a two-count. Jericho goes for the Go 2 Sleep but Punk is able to counter him and hit the move himself to finally get the pin and retain the title.
WINNER – CM Punk (***¾)
Don’t try this at home.
Earlier tonight on the preshow, Santino Marella beat The Miz clean with the Cobra to retain the United States Championship. The crowd loves Santino.
Backstage – Eve runs into the Bella Twins, who are mocking Beth Phoenix. She notes that Beth is not medically cleared to compete. Beth disagrees, but says she will win the title back as soon as she is able. The Bellas are about to leave, but Eve tells them not so fast. Eve says that Nikki’s opponent is going to be a surprise, but it’s not Kharma.
MATCH #7: Divas Championship Match – Nikki Bella vs. a surprise diva
Nikki has been the Champion since 4.23.12, and this is her first defense. The twins cut a promo challenging their surprise opponent to come out, and it’s Layla! Why can’t it be Kharma? Layla gets an early advantage so Brie interferes to give her sister control. Layla comes back with a springboard cross body block, and then dropkicks Brie off the apron. The sloppy wrestling continues, and Layla kicks Nikki to the floor, which gives the opportunity for some twin magic. Layla hits Brie with a hangman’s neckbreaker and Layla gets the pin to win the title.
WINNER – Layla, NEW Divas Champion (*)
Backstage – Matt Striker asks Johnny Ace what he and Triple H were talking about earlier. Naturally Ace doesn’t say much, but HHH will be on Raw tomorrow.
MATCH #8: Extreme Rules Match – John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
Brock takes Cena down and immediately busts him open with a sick elbow to the head. That’s awesome. Medical personnel get in the ring to try and stop the bleeding, which is not awesome. Cena tries to attack again but Lesnar continues slugging away at him. This is certainly different. Cena keeps bleeding so the medical people again come in to try and stop it. This is EXTREME RULES for crying out loud. Cena tries the Attitude Adjustment but Lesnar counters with German Suplexes. The referee gets bumped and Lesnar continues to manhandle Cena. Lesnar puts on an armbar and Cena screams in pain. He grabs Cena’s chain but then does nothing with it. Moments later he uses it to trap Cena upside down in the corner. This is complete domination. Lesnar throws the referee back in the ring, but when he hits the F-5 the ref gets bumped again. A new ref comes in to make the count and Cena kicks out at two, so Lesnar dispatches of that referee too. Lesnar goes out and brings the steel steps into the ring. Cena tries fighting back but Lesnar traps him in a Kimura Lock. Amazingly, Cena powers out of that and slams Lesnar back onto the steps. Cena goes to the top rope and goes for the Cena Slice but misses. Lesnar jumps off the steps to knock Cena off the apron and almost kills himself doing it. They repeat the spot and Cena jacks Lesnar with the chain! The crowd is going ballistic. Lesnar is bleeding now too. Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment on the steps and actually gets the win. What?
WINNER – John Cena (****)
Cena gets on the microphone and says that this is CM Punk’s town, but more than that it’s a wrestling town. He says he’s going away for a while.
