PPV Evaluation - WWE Extreme Rules 5/19
By Nathan Kyght, PWTorch PPV specialist

BEST MATCH – TRIPLE H VS. BROCK LESNAR

Let's face it - I'm not sure that anyone was holding out hope for Lesnar-Triple H III, but in my opinion this was the best of the trilogy. The Summerslam match was okay, but it was held in front of a library-quiet crowd. Then, the WrestleMania match was borderline bad (although Lesnar was legit KO'ed early on, so concessions can be made).

For the third match, I thought the build-up to the main event of Extreme Rules was great, in no small part to the excellence that is Paul Heyman, and I felt that the match delivered. Lesnar was fantastic selling his leg (to the point I thought he came across almost babyface-ish) and Lesnar winning was the right move. A very good way to close the show

WORST MATCH – SHEAMUS VS. MARK HENRY

Dear, God. Remember when Mark Henry went on TV and claimed that we would remember this match for the rest of our lives? He lied.

BIGGEST SURPRISE – NO MAN STANDING

The 'Last Man Standing' gimmick is one that the WWE should have preserved, as it always seems like a nice way to end a feud. And then this happened. A No Contest for John Cena and Ryback? Theoretically, shouldn't the ref have just waited for whoever got up first? Cena and Ryback had a good match until the finish, which was a real detriment. And Ryback got up first. And they showed it on TV. Boo.

BIGGEST LETDOWN – CENA-RYBACK

Again, just a silly way to end the match. Why not make their match the 'Extreme Rules' deal?

BEST QUOTE – JACK SWAGGER

"I quit." Excellent, And now, please let us move on. Zeb Colter is great on the mic, but this angle is just not catching on.

BEST MOVE – THE BIG SHOW

The Big Show and Randy Orton exceeded my expectations with a very good match (helped by Orton being on-fire as a babyface in his hometown), and the Vader Bomb that Show inadvertantly delivered to a ladder was above and beyond. Great stuff.

BEST MATCH FINISH – TRIPLE H VS. BROCK LESNAR

If Lesnar is indeed headlining next year's WrestleMania (that I will be attending. Email me. We'll get up to no good on Bourbon Street) then this was the only way to finish. Triple H is not being received by the crowd as a mega-star any more, and him taking the fall was the right move.

OTHER THOUGHTS

- Oay, I'm cheating here because I'm talking about Raw, but that's how you get Curtis Axel over?! Triple H is high on Axel, but going on TV and belittling him, slapping him, and then losing due to head injury (and then afterwards saying that he couldn't remember who he faced. Seriously.) is not the way to go. If Triple H was your wingman in a bar, based on this, his angle would be 'Sure. I'm much more successful than my buddy, but I'm married. You could do worse than him. Probably.'

- Daniel Bryan turning heel is apparently the way the company is going. As long as I get to watch him wrestle, I'm good.

- I was glad to see Kane gett through "May 19th" without a meltdown. Stay strong, fella.

- The Shield is brilliant. It's great that WWE has protected them, and I think these three will be at the top of the card within a year.

- Chris Jericho is fantastic in-ring. Has he had a bad match since he's returned?

- Summer Rae. YAY! Just saying.

- My apologies for the late column - have had some personal issues up here in the great white north that have kept me away. Very happy to be back.

WHAT IT’LL BE REMEMBERED FOR

Not much. It was an okay show, with a stand-out main event, but this year's Extreme Rules didn't live up to last year's (which I thought was the best PPV of the year).

See you guys for Slammiversary, and keep it locked here this weekend as I chat to not just the coolest... and not just the best...

UPDATED 2013 PPV EVALUATION RANKINGS

1 - WWE WRESTLEMANIA XXIX (2013-04-07)
2 – WWE ROYAL RUMBLE (2013-01-27)
3 - TNA LOCKDOWN (2013-03-10)
4 - WWE EXTREME RULES (2013-05-19)
5 - WWE ELIMINATION CHAMBER (2013-02-17)
6 – TNA GENESIS (2013-01-13)

Thoughts? Anger? Praise? Hit me up at njkyght@gmail.com .I'll respond to everyone, because I'm nice that way.

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