Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Takeaways from (the Horror Show at) WWE Extreme Rules 2020

“I’m over the moon that WWE has let its creative chops flair more than ever, I just wish they’d think through what they presented more…”

Published

5 years ago

July 21, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

WWE Extreme Rules Horror Show Braun Strowman Bray Wyatt Swamp Fight Chairshot Edit

Mishal has you covered with his Top 5 Takeaways from The Horror Show at WWE Extreme Rules!

You know the drill, another month, another headline show to discuss from the world of WWE.

Extreme Rules was a show I had virtually no expectations for, just because the card itself was so bizarre I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. What we got, like the previous events, slightly exceeded my expectations from what I was expecting. Much like ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’ or an ‘Indoor Money in the Bank’, Extreme Rules at the very least had something unique going for it, a plethora of stipulation matches that could swing either way. What we ended up getting certainly had its moments of unpredictability, and some moments that are better left not spoken about.

Like every show I watch monthly, let’s take a look at 5 big takeaways I had after watching (The Horror Show) at WWE Extreme Rules 2020!

5. Seth Rollins in on his A-game

Regardless of your stance on Sunday nights gimmick, the angle leading into it or the direction of Rey Mysterio’s character in WWE or his status with the company as of this writing (as he’s allegedly still working without a legal contract), one thing is for sure as of last night, Seth Rollins has found his groove as a competitor & storyteller.

More than just put on (arguably) the best match of the entire evening against Mysterio under ‘Eye for an Eye’ rules, it’s clear that as a character, Rollins has found where he belongs. The role he’s playing as the ‘Monday Night Messiah’ is captivating, dangerous, unpredictable but more importantly, seems like the first gimmick Rollins has been handed that can potentially hold prolonged momentum in a business where the average gimmick lasts less than six months. Aside from furthering him as a performer, it allows a plethora of new talent to latch onto him and find new ground. Talent such as Buddy Murphy, Akam, Razar & Austin Theory have all been able to share the spotlight with one of the company’s largest, most important stars, and while there is work to be done on that part, it’s a solid place to start off from.

Along with his excellent character work & presentation, Rollins match quality is just as good as it once was at his peak just a year ago prior to his plateau. Extreme Rules showed us a lot of things, but it was a firm reminder to me that we’re finally seeing Seth Rollins come into his own in WWE.

4. WWE booking takes a dive

I’ve been watching professional wrestling since the late days of WCW. I’ve seen it all, the good, the bad, the worst & the atrociously terrible on a scale almost unimaginable by modern standards. Seeing that degree of terribleness sets you up with the expectations that nothing can get worse, which is rarely the case, but also that little will ever come close to what’s come before.

And for the most part, professional wrestling is generally consistently solid in quality, until we get to Sunday night.

Towards the tail-end of a genuinely fantastic contest, one of the finest of the evening between Asuka & Sasha Banks, WWE tested the waters of absurd booking in a way that had me baffled. In every single way. Rather than a simple booking to a contest that could on its own rank among the best of the year, they went the route of ending the contest on an incredibly sour note that wasn’t just silly but makes no sense to anyone sitting at home. In the midst of a referee bump, Bayley of all people donned the outfit of the matches referee and counted the three-count, handing her best friend Sasha Banks with the RAW Women’s Championship in a decision that surpasses all logic.

Bayley hijacking the match and claiming victory for her partner wasn’t just ridiculous by the very rule book the company has set up for years, it’s plain stupid, simply put. The booking benefits nobody, makes everyone involved look substantially worse, mocks the very foundation of the company’s rule set & is just a booking that doesn’t work anyway you spin it.

This post is fairly straightforward, but it’s hard to complexly discuss a booking that is so ridiculously stupid it deserves no further discussion.

3. Dolph Ziggler, WWE’s highest-paid enhancement talent

His match against Drew McIntyre was solid, for what it was. But Dolph Ziggler’s matches over the last 18 months have one element in common, the severe lack of tension each one has the tendency to possess.

Ziggler’s career peaked a very, very long time ago. Nothing I’m saying is to detract from the truly world-class performer that he is in the eyes of most fans, his dozens of championship reigns, high-caliber matches against the likes of Cena, Rollins, Mysterio, Jericho, Del Rio, Orton & a plethora of others or the dedication he’s had to always be a resident WWE talent that will never give up his loyalty to the brand that made him who he is. The heights of his career have sadly come and gone, but this past Sunday on paper could have been the ultimate redemption story in terms of delivering a high-stakes, emotional story against his former tag-team partner, with whom he has a tonne of history with.

And as I mentioned, the match did its job of putting McIntyre over as champion & establishing him as the best one in the longest time under the WWE banner. But it just shed more light on how low the stakes are for a modern-day Dolph Ziggler match. The level of credibility he’s lost is one of the largest among the current roster, and it isn’t entirely his fault, but the character hasn’t really shifted in a manner that brings along interest with it as he drifts onto other opponents. Ziggler has floated through dozens of gimmicks & teams over the last number of years, yet it hasn’t really aided him as we saw this past week, instead, it’s watered him down to a shell of his former self.

Where Ziggler ends up next is anyone’s guess, but it’s apparent that the man has become WWE’s highest-paid enhancement talent. Mind you he’s doing a solid job at what he does, but my has the tide changed.

2. Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura re-establish themselves

Could they be used in a different manner as single stars? Absolutely.

Should they be main event-level talent? Without question?

But, is this a better role for two of SmackDown’s most underutilized talents than what they’ve been given since last year? Yes, and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees.

2020 hasn’t been kind to Cesaro & Nakamura. With the absence of Sami Zayn and the loss of his Intercontinental Championship, the former trio has been reduced to a duo of men who’ve essentially been treated as your standard, resident henchmen. This kind of booking favours the standard company undercard but feels almost insulting to two stars with enough talent to carry an entire brand on their shoulders. The two have gotten a bit of shine in matches against Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan & Drew Gulak but for the most part, they’re the equivalent of background noise in terms of company storylines, simply existing to further narratives they hold no relevance in.

While my personal booking would look substantially different from what we’re currently seeing, Extreme Rules was a step in the right direction if anything. WWE shining a spotlight on them feels right, feels earned & couldn’t have come at a more crucial point in both men’s careers as they were on the verge of dwindling into obscurity prior to their solid performance opposite The New Day. On top of a pretty solid opening contest, they feel slightly rejuvenated as a duo, standing on their own as an aggressive team that has had enough of waiting, and instead plans on taking their success for themselves. Of all the bookings on Sunday night, few had me more optimistic than this one did.

1. What was the main event?

In terms of production value, Sunday nights ‘Swamp Fight’ between Bray Wyatt & Braun Strowman was as solid as you’d expect. It was filmed beautifully to deliver the aura of the world Bray Wyatt lurks within, the music blends not just the horror of the Wyatt Family but their specific theme, it visually presented certain concepts in ways I never predicted, showed Strowman’s range as a performer & further expanded the Wyatt character in ways that make sense while continuing to make him arguably the most compelling in the business at the moment.

Where the main event lost me was that it wasn’t really what it was sold as. Considering it was billed as a ‘fight’ between two stablemates, this was more of an angle to me than a grudge match. We had our fair share of brawling & foreign object use, but it was all so minimal to the sheer levels of drama on display that was used to expand on character over spectacle. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it’s commendable, but never felt like the concept was justified, particularly on a night when the focus is on the ‘extreme’ overall.

Wyatt & Strowman’s bout felt more like a placeholder for their next (and presumably final) chapter in their current feud, which reduces the impact it should have due to how unique the concept itself is on paper. The match had the potential to rival the sheer excellence that the ‘Boneyard Match’ & ‘Firefly Funhouse’ presented at WrestleMania, but instead felt like a segment better suited to SmackDown as a progressive angle heading into their next encounter. This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen by any stretch, but like a lot of the show never lived up to its concept on paper. Fans will find a lot to love in this, as a storytelling element this just didn’t possess the impact to stand on its own without the wider story coming into play to carry it along.

I’m over the moon that WWE has let its creative chops flair more than prior, I just wish they’d think through what they presented more than what was given to us.

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

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TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

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THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

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Classic POD is WAR

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

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About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1