WWE Extreme Rules: Bray Wyatt returns, Ronda Rousey wins title, Edge quits

John Siino's coverage of WWE Extreme Rules including a ladder match, strap match, the Fight Pit, I Quit match and the White Rabbit tease.

Photo Courtesy: WWE

WWE Extreme Rules

October 8th, 2022

By: John Siino

Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA

Commentary: Michael Cole & Corey Graves

Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match: The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland & Butch) vs. Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)

The Brawling Brutes came out to a big pop, as all six men start fighting in and out of the ring to start, with Butch and Giovanni Vinci going on top of the commentary table. The beginning of the match gets interrupted by an 8-bit ‘White Rabbit’ video showing the rabbit going inside a purple X that looks similar to the one in the Extreme Rules logo. Ridge Holland and Sheamus put Ludwig Kaiser in the Tree of Woe as Butch hits him with a drop kick. Gunther and Vinci get in the ring to save Kaiser. Imperium heads outside and starts breaking all the barrels and chairs that are surrounding the ring. Imperium takes Sheamus and drive him into the steel steps, grab Butch and drive him through the barricade. Gunther hits Sheamus with a back body drop on top of the bar. Imperium gets in the ring and goes after Butch and Holland, but Holland is able to take out both Kaiser and Vinci before getting booted down by Gunther. Vinci grabs Holland as Kaiser takes him down to the outside with the Imperium Bomb. Imperium gets back in the ring and surrounds Butch and takes him out with kicks and stomps.

As Imperium continues to beat on Butch, Sheamus emerges from under the bar and takes out Kaiser and Vinci into the barricade. Sheamus and Gunther have a face-off to a huge reaction before exchanging punches, as Gunther takes Sheamus down with a German Suplex before Sheamus comes back with a clothesline. Sheamus sets up Gunther in the ropes and gives the 10 Beats of the Bodhran as Butch and Holland join in. Sheamus starts calling to the crowd who gives him a big reaction as he hits the Brogue Kick, but Vinci springboards in and breaks up the count. Vinci and Kaiser go for the Imperium Bomb on Holland, but he breaks out before Gunther takes out Butch and Holland with a drop kick. Sheamus grabs Gunther with the Irish Curse backbreaker, then applies the Cloverleaf. As Gunther comes close to tapping out, Kaiser hits Sheamus with a shillelagh. All six men face off in the middle of the ring, with Sheamus and Gunther exchanging forearms and chops. Sheamus takes out Gunther with a knee, but Kaiser and 

Vinci pull Sheamus out during the pin attempt. They attempt an Imperium Bomb to Sheamus through the commentary table, but Holland breaks it up and Butch does a moonsault onto them from on top of a stack of barrels. Gunther takes out Sheamus with a shillelagh, but Sheamus kicks out at two. Gunther goes for the powerbomb, but Butch and Holland break it up by breaking his fingers, holding him in place as Sheamus hits Gunther with the shillelagh. Holland and Butch have shillelaghs of their own that they use on Kaiser and Vinci as Sheamus puts Gunther through the commentary table with the Celtic Cross. Holland and Butch hold Vinci up as Sheamus gives him the Brogue Kick for the pin and the win. Fantastic way to start this show.

Winners: The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland & Butch) by pinfall at 17:51

Grit TV

Megan Morant stops The Miz backstage and says she’s surprised to see him after what happened with Dexter Lumis on Monday Night Raw. The Miz says he’s here because Lumis said he was going to try to ruin his birthday on Raw, and he’s going to talk to Triple H about it. Miz spots something and sees the Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty who tries to give him a Gritty Extreme Rules shirt, but Miz drops it and steps on it and says that’s what he thinks of his city.

WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Extreme Rules Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

Liv Morgan comes out in ‘They Live’ inspired gear as Ronda Rousey has on her pink gi. They go at it right away, with Ronda taking Liv’s bat, teasing using it, but throws it out of the ring. Liv knocks Ronda off the apron and tries a baseball slide, but Ronda traps her in the apron and starts smacking her. Ronda starts walking around the ring, taunting the fans and goes to grab the bat again. Ronda goes to grab Liv, but she sprays her with a fire extinguisher. Ronda comes right back with the Piper’s Pit on the outside. Ronda starts hitting Liv with the bat, but Liv is able to counter with an Enziguri. They head to the outside, where Ronda attacks Liv with the bat over and over, but Liv is able to counter and drive Ronda into the apron. Liv grabs a table and brings it into the ring, but Ronda quickly traps Liv in the ropes, before they spill to the outside.

They keep fighting on the outside, until Liv grabs a chair and sets it inside against the corner and drives Ronda into the corner, but unfortunately the chair had fallen right before. Liv goes and grabs the chair and starts smashing Ronda with it, including hitting a Code Red. Liv sets Ronda on the table and hits a senton from the top rope through it, but Ronda kicks out at two and puts on an armbar, but Liv is able to power out and power bomb Ronda through the broken table. Ronda stills holds on and transitions into a Bicep Crusher while Liv’s head is being crushed against the table, as she passes out and the referee ends the match.

Winner: Ronda Rousay by referee stoppage at 12:22, to become NEW WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion

Strap Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)

Jessika Carr tries to put the straps on both Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross, but Kross is reluctant to put it on and keeps tossing it down, just for Scarlett to grab it and distract McIntyre as Kross attacks him, but the match can’t start yet as the straps aren’t on. They continue to fight against the barricades on the outside as Carr is trying to get them to start the match. They spill out into the crowd or ‘WWE fans’ as Michael Cole and Corey Graves reiterate instead of ‘WWE Universe’. To go back ringside, where McIntyre reverses Kross who was trying to suplex him onto the steel steps, and suplexes Kross onto the floor instead. McIntyre lifts Kross up and jumps off the steps dropping Kross onto the apron, grabs the strap, and puts it on Kross as Carr officially starts the match.

McIntyre starts whipping Kross’ back with the strap, but Kross comes back and drives McIntyre into the ring post as Carr checks on him. Kross continues to attack McIntyre’s shoulder as they go back inside, but McIntyre fights back with chops. Kross tries the Kross Jacket, but McIntyre backs him into the corner just to get whipped down with the strap. They go back outside, where Kross drives McIntyre into the commentary table. Kross ties McIntyre with the strap on the ring post while whipping his back repeatedly as Scarlett screams for more. Back inside, Kross hits the Doomsday Saito Suplex, but McIntyre kicks out at two. Kross continues to whip McIntyre, but McIntyre gets a burst of energy and starts clotheslining Kross down before hitting a belly-to-belly throw and a neckbreaker. They fight in the corner until McIntyre hits a spine buster for a two. They brawl it out in the middle of the ring as the crowd gets real into it, as they then start whipping each other hard with the strap. McIntyre hits the Future Shock DDT, and sets up the Claymore but Scarlett gets in the ring and gets in between him and Kross. Scarlett blinds McIntyre with Pepper Spray followed by the Kross Hammer as Kross gets the pin and the win.

Winner: Karrion Kross by pinfall at 10:24

We go back to The Miz backstage who’s on the phone with Maryse and says he will do whatever it takes to make sure nothing goes wrong with his birthday celebration and says he hasn’t talked to Triple H yet as he’s busy. We cut to Gritty who’s next to him, pretending he’s on the phone as well and The Miz gets upset and walks away.

WWE Raw Women’s Championship Ladder Match: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley

Nikkita Lyons from NXT is shown sitting ringside for this match as Bayley has on wrist tape in honor of Sara Lee. As soon as the bell rings they go at it, and right away head to the outside and bring in ladders inside the ring. Bianca Belair’s ladder is much taller, so Bayley takes her down from it as they go into a tug of war with the smaller ladder, as Bayley falls to the outside. Bayley takes control while doing some damage to Bianca, whipping her onto a ladder that was against the apron, but Bianca jumps right in and starts climbing the large ladder. They fight on the ladder, as Bianca hits a springboard moonsault to Bayley on it. Bayley takes control again as the crowd is split 50/50, hitting Bianca with a sunset flip onto a ladder in the corner. Bayley starts climbing a ladder, but Bianca knocks her down. They go back outside, where Bayley sets up a ladder between the barricade and steel steps, places Bianca on it, and hits a flying elbow to her from the apron, but both seem to take damage from it. They break a ladder apart, and Bianca smashes one-half of it onto the top of Bayley before bringing another ladder into the ring. They take turns climbing the ladder before Bianca hits Bayley with a spinebuster and goes climbing again, but Bayley kicks the ladder down. Bayley grabs a piece of her knee brace, but Bianca dodges her and hits the KOD.

Bianca goes to climb the ladder, but IYO SKY and Dakota Kai run out and knock down and attack Bianca. Bianca fights them off and takes them both out with a double KOD. Bayley enters the ring with another ladder she sets up in the corner and rams Bianca into it before hitting the Rose Plant. Bayley traps Bianca under the ladder and starts climbing it, but Bianca powers it off and knocks Bayley into the ropes. They both climb to the top of the ladder, but Bayley smashes Bianca off with her braid, but Bianca gets right back up and knocks Bayley down. Bianca lifts up Bayley for a KOD, while she’s holding onto a ladder and drops her onto it, before climbing the ladder and grabbing the championship for the win.

Winner: Bianca Belair at 16:42, to retain

It’s Rabbit Season

As they were teeing up the next match, they showed shaky cam footage of fans taking pictures with the White Rabbit outside the arena. It was very quick while Cole and Graves were talking, and I bet most people were looking away or on their phones and might have missed it. Nice touch.

“I Quit” Match: Edge vs. Finn Balor

Finn Balor comes out with a spikey-looking black mask that covers his entire head as Edge is wearing Philadelphia Flyers-inspired tights. Right away Edge starts choking Balor in the corner, as Chad Patton goes to ask him if he quits. Surprisingly, he said no. Balor comes back and starts attacking Edge’s knee while he is down in the corner and keeps telling the referee to ask him if he quits. Balor puts on the figure four, but Edge just grunts into the microphone and tells the ref to get the mic out of his face. Balor stays in control, slamming Edge face-first repeatedly into the commentary table as Edge keeps screaming ‘no’ into the mic. Edge is able to finally fight back and ram Balor through a barricade before they spill into the crowd where Edge suplexes Balor onto the concrete floor but Balor says ‘never’ into the mic. Edge disappears then comes back with a hockey stick that he uses on Balor. They start fighting on top of the Kickoff set where Edge puts the hockey stick in Balor’s mouth while doing a crossface.

They keep climbing up the arena by an entrance tunnel as Edge grabs Balor and slams him onto the concrete overhead. Balor combats that back by ramming Edge onto the stairs post. They start making their way down back to the ring with some beer being a casualty in the process. Balor grabs a chair from under the ring and attacks Edge with it but Edge says ‘Screw you, Finn’ and ‘I don’t quit’ in the mic. Balor sets up the chair in the corner, hits a Russian Leg Sweep and ties up Edge who screams no in the mic. Edge powers out and sends Balor into the chair in the corner then uses the same chair and swings away at Balor’s legs before putting on the Edgecator. As Balor looks like he’s about to quit, Damian Priest runs and gets taken out. Dominik Mysterio gets involved as well, but Edge spears Balor on top of Dominik and Priest. Edge sets up for the spear, but Rhea Ripley shows up and handcuffs Edge to the top rope. The Judgment Day enters the ring and surrounds Edge, but Edge tries to fight them off only to be outnumbered. Balor grabs some Kendo sticks and starts smacking away at Edge’s back with them. As the referee goes to ask Edge if he quits, Rey Mysterio runs out with a chair and takes out Priest and Balor, hitting Priest with a 619 but gets knocked off the apron by Dominik. Dominik continues to attack Rey and rams him into the ring post. Balor continues to attack Balor with the Kendo stick, but Beth Phoenix runs in and takes out Balor and Priest. As she goes to take out Dominik, Rhea Ripley shows up behind her and they face off and start brawling as Beth takes out Rhea with a spear. Beth grabs the key from Rhea and unlocks the handcuffs from Edge. Edge spears Priest then gets in Dominik’s face, as Dominik tries to shake his hand. Edge shakes it, just to low blow Dominik, as he turns around gets hit with a sling blade by Balor, but Edge comes right back with a spear, followed by two more. Beth hands Edge a chair, as he tears off the bar from the chair and tries to use it on Balor, but Rhea takes out Beth with brass knuckles. Priest and Dominik join in on the beat down, as Balor hits three Coup de Grace. Balor says he gives Edge one last chance to quit, but he says ‘go to hell’ instead. Rhea teases giving the Conchairto to Beth, but Edge says ‘I quit’ so she doesn’t do it. Rhea does it anyway.

Winner: Finn Balor at 29:55

Edge and Rey go to check on Beth as The Judgement Day celebrates on their way to the back.

Grit It Out

We see The Miz trying to knock on Triple H’s door, but Gritty stops him and tells him to put on the shirt again. The Miz gets frustrated and starts attacking Gritty and tells him to stay out of his business. Dexter Lumis appears from behind Miz and puts on the Silencer. Dexter helps Gritty up and gets a huge reaction from the crowd, but Gritty kicks Miz while he’s down for good measure.

Fight Pit Match: Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins (Special Guest Referee: Daniel Cormier)

We see a video of the history of this match that’s narrated by Ariel Helwani. Daniel Cormier came out to a good reaction. Bron Breakker is shown sitting ringside. Seth Rollins came out in Rob Van Dam inspired gear (ponytail and all), which is funny considering Fight Pit evolved from Bloodsport, which in itself is named after the Jean Claude Van Damme movie ‘Bloodsport’. Reference within reference. The Fight Pit cage looks very cool in this environment. Right away they take it to the mat, as Cormier has to remind Riddle not to hit him and calls himself ‘the law’. Rollins takes control and pushes off Cormier as he was checking on Rollins. Rollins takes Riddle down with a suplex into the cage and then starts climbing the Fight Pit just to hit a frog splash on Riddle. Rollins continues to call Riddle a loser and says everybody knows it as he puts on the Peruvian Necktie, but Riddle gets out and hits an RKO. They go back and forth a bit until Rollins blocks another RKO and hits the stomp and tells Cormier to count him out.

Rollins climbs to the top level of the Fight Pit and taunts Riddle, who follows him up. They use the chain link for choking, until Rollins smashes Riddle into the cage and then hits the Buckle Bomb onto the cage on the other side. Cormier tells them that the match can’t end up there and has to be in the ring, in which Rollins follows it with a pedigree and tells Cormier to count or he will come down and choke him out. Cormier again says he can’t do it. Riddle dodges a stomp and hits the RKO as Rollins falls down to the ring. Riddle then hits a Floating Bro from the top of the pit onto Rollins. Cormier starts counting them out but they get up, Riddle tries the Triangle Choke, but Rollins rams him into the cage and tries to powerbomb him off, but Riddle holds on as Rollins taps out.

Winner: Matt Riddle by submission at 16:36

The White Rabbit

As the show is about to sign off, the lights go out and Michael Cole asks if they are on the air still. We start to hear ‘We got the whole world in his hands’ being played over the loudspeaker as the crowd puts up their phone lights. We cut to people in the crowd wearing creepy costumes of Huskus the pig, Mercy the Buzzard, Ramblin’ Rabbit, and Abby the Witch from the Firefly Funhouse. We then see an old Fiend mask on the commentary table and what looks like the Fiend himself in the crowd. We then cut to an abandoned Firefly Funhouse where all the characters seem dead. We see a new masked character on the TV screen with a distorted voice before we cut back to the arena where there is a decorated door on the stage.

The door opens in dramatic fashion and out comes Bray Wyatt with a lantern and a new mask as the crowd chants ‘Holy shit’. Wyatt unmasks himself to a huge pop and then cuts to a new upside-down-looking firefly logo to end the show.


About John Siino 365 Articles
New York native and reporter at POST Wrestling. He is also Associate Producer at POISONRANA, co-host of 'Collision Course' and the host of the 'Shot in the Dark' podcast.