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“May we have your attention, please!” Personal animosity is about to evolve a WrestleMania rematch into an “Extreme” tag team showdown as Michael Cole – the Raw General Manager’s unofficial spokesman – teams with former friend Jack Swagger to battle Jerry “The King” Lawler & fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross at Extreme Rules.
In a clash the WWE Universe might have never foreseen months ago, the “vintage” Raw announce team of Lawler & Ross reunite in an attempt to finally silence the audacious mouth of Cole, the self-described “Voice of WWE.”
WrestleMania should have been a monumental moment in the life of Jerry Lawler. Not only was it his first time in his illustrious career that The King would compete at The Show of Shows, but the regal Superstar would finally be given the chance to get some payback on his ultra-cocky fellow Monday Night Raw announcer.
For months, Cole ridiculed The King at every pass, stepping way over the line as he mercilessly mocked Lawler’s family. With his vicious trainer and former World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Swagger, at his side, Cole attacked the WWE Hall of Famer week after week.
On The Grandest Stage of Them All – with “WWE Tough Enough” host “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as special guest referee – not even The All-American American could stop Lawler from making his outspoken opponent tap to the ankle lock. However, the anonymous Raw GM revoked Lawler’s moment of retribution, reversing the decision to award the WrestleMania victory to Cole by disqualification.
Just 24 hours after returning to WWE to call part of WrestleMania, Ross rejoined the Raw commentary team, but found himself in Cole’s bold crosshairs as well. With Lawler trapped in Swagger’s clutches, the leader of the Cole Miners attacked J.R. and covered the iconic announcer with his own barbecue sauce. The Voice of WWE made yet another mistake the following week when Lawler's critical victory drove Cole to slap his All-American ally, driving a rift between the two men who will team up on pay-per-view.
The gloves – and headsets – have definitely come off for Extreme Rules on May 1. Will the years-old bond between Lawler & J.R. be enough to take down a hated colleague in Cole, despite his rocky pairing with a skilled former World Heavyweight Champion in Swagger?
At Extreme Rules, Diva destruction is inevitable, as former BFFs Michelle McCool and Layla will square-off in a No Count-out, No Disqualification, Loser Leaves WWE Match.
When Michelle first fused her enormous talent with Layla to form Team Lay-Cool, SmackDown truly became flawless. The larger-than-life charisma of the two outspoken beauties made for very entertaining trash talking from day one. The dynamic duo grew so close, in fact, that they soon formed their own language, speaking as one voice that – although often mean-spirited and superior – was no doubt hilarious for the WWE Universe. And when they made history by becoming the self-professed "co-Divas Champions," things got real serious in a hurry.
However, nothing lasts forever and it wasn't long before the seemingly flawless team proved to have some major flaws indeed.
Following a string of loses by Layla, Michelle insisted that her English-born cohort was no longer worthy of her company. In an effort to patch things up, Layla insisted that they go to couples therapy. But, that only fueled the fire for two fiery Divas, who were destined to split as completely as they once split their championship gold.
After yet another loss by Layla on the April 25 edition of Monday Night Raw, Michelle attacked her, causing the brunette battler to unload on her former friend.
Four days later on SmackDown, when the two irate Divas fought to a double count-out, Layla challenged Michelle to a No Disqualification, No Count-out showdown at Extreme Rules. Not to be outdone, Michelle proposed that whoever is defeated at the pay-per-view must leave WWE.
On paper, Michelle will walk into the match much more accomplished, including the distinction of being the first Divas Champion, as well as the first to hold both the Divas and Women's Championships. But, Layla has learned much in her time in the squared-circle and has made it clear that she has no intention of leaving now.
For most Superstars, winning is everything. But not for Cody Rhodes. Even with a victory over Rey Mysterio on The Grandest Stage of Them All, Rhodes is still not happy. The disfigured Superstar has vowed not to rest until he does to Mysterio what he did to him.
Rhodes' inner turmoil about his outward appearance all began on the Jan. 21 edition of SmackDown. That was the fateful night when Mysterio blasted Rhodes with a 619. But, because of an exposed leg brace, the maneuver proved even more damaging than ever. The collision instantly broke Rhode’s nose.
In the week’s following Rhode’s WrestleMania victory, he grew more and more anxious to injure Mysterio. He went as far as bringing Mysterio’s family into the mix by saying he wants his own children to be horrified at the sight of his face. That, Rhodes claims, is the only way he will feel vindicated.
Just nine days before Extreme Rules, tensions flared even further as the two battled it out among the SmackDown crowd in London, England.
In the unpredictable environment of a Falls Count Anywhere Match, can the self-conscious and bitter Rhodes follow through on his desire to disfigure Mysterio? Or, will The Master of the 619 drive Rhodes deeper into despair by delivering yet another loss on the pay-per-view stage?
In what is sure to be their most chaotic and career-changing encounter yet, bitter rivals Randy Orton and CM Punk will collide at Extreme Rules in a Last Man Standing Match.
The only way to emerge victorious in a Last Man Standing Match is to brutalize one’s opponent to the point where they can no longer rise to their feet in response to a referee’s 10-count. Judging by the tumultuous history between The Viper and The Second City Saint, these two competitors aim to settle the score under appropriately hazardous circumstances.
Since there are no disqualifications in a Last Man Standing Match, Punk – backed by The New Nexus – would seem to have an advantage at Extreme Rules. However, Orton will no doubt look to capitalize on the group’s apparent instability as of late … and perhaps its waning faith in The Second City Savior.
Not one to forgive or forget, the New Nexus overlord harbored long-gestating resentment for WWE’s Apex Predator dating back to Unforgiven in 2008, when Orton punted Punk in the skull and cost The Straight Edge Superstar the World Heavyweight Championship. In 2011, Punk exacted revenge against Orton by interfering in The Viper’s WWE Title Match at Royal Rumble against defending Champion The Miz. In the weeks that followed, a seething Orton sought retribution by targeting Punk’s New Nexus underlings, punting each of them in the skull until only their leader remained.
To counter this physical threat, the calculating Punk elected to take the psychological route, stalking Orton’s wife and assaulting an off-guard Viper with a wrench just two weeks before their anticipated WrestleMania XXVII clash. Hobbled with an injured knee, Orton was unable to punt The Straight Edge Superstar as he did the rest of The New Nexus, but nevertheless sealed a decisive victory over Punk with an RKO on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Although Orton had dealt The New Nexus a series of crippling blows – culminating with Punk’s humbling loss at The Show of Shows – the armbanded rogues recuperated, costing The Viper the No. 1 contendership to The Miz’s WWE Title during a Five-Man Gauntlet Match on the April 11 edition of Raw. With championship glory once again wrested from his grasp by The New Nexus, a determined Orton battled and defeated Punk again the following Monday night in a hard-fought WrestleMania rematch that only fanned the fires of their scorching mutual contempt.
Will the coiled Viper sink his fangs into Punk yet again? Or will the self-aggrandizing Punk earn a tainted victory with the help of his New Nexus cronies?
In one of the most stunning moments in WWE history, on the April 11 edition of Raw, Edge announced that he was retiring due to injury. Then, just days later on SmackDown, The Rated-R Superstar officially surrendered his title.
With the title vacant, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long arranged for a No. 1 Contender’s World Heavyweight Championship Battle Royal. The winner would face Alberto Del Rio, who already earned a match with Edge at Extreme Rules by beating Christian in a No. 1 Contender's Match on the April 8 edition of SmackDown.
Surviving the 20-man war was none other than Edge’s lifelong friend, Christian, who eliminated Jack Swagger.
Clearly, Edge and Del Rio do not like each other. However, the disdain between Christian and The Mexican Aristocrat is downright palpable. After all, it was Del Rio who put Captain Charisma out of commission last fall with a torn pectoral muscle due to a session in his Cross Armbreaker.
Del Rio has continuously claimed that it is his destiny to win the World Title. However, what about Christian? Some would argue that he has been preparing his entire career for this moment. What would be more appropriate than following in the footsteps of his lifelong friend, The Ultimate Opportunist, in his specialty – a Ladder Match?
One thing is for certain. There will be a new World Heavyweight Champion crowned the night WWE goes extreme.
It will be every man for himself at Extreme Rules, when The Miz must defend his WWE Championship against not one, but two of Raw’s top Superstars. Not only must the “Most Must-See WWE Champion” again contend with his WrestleMania opponent, John Cena, he must do so in a in a chaotic Triple Threat Steel Cage Match that also includes John Morrison.
Whichever Superstar is able to escape the cage or earn a victory via pinfall or submission will be declared the winner and WWE Champion. As The Miz has already pointed out, he does not need to be involved in the bout’s decision to lose his title.
In the weeks building up to WrestleMania XXVII, The Miz claimed to “own” Cena in the ring. His actions spoke louder than his words as he seemed to get the best of The Cenation Commander-in-Chief on several occasions, though none more so than on The Grandest Stage of Them All. Even though Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson proved instrumental in affecting the outcome before 71,617 fans, the fact remains that it was Miz who exited the Georgia Dome victorious, and prevented Cena from capturing his 10th World Championship at The Show of Shows.
In a Five-Man Gauntlet Match on the April 11 edition of Raw, Cena vied for the opportunity to once again battle The Miz for the WWE Title at Extreme Rules, but The Awesome One and his associate, Alex Riley, intervened in the final round pitting The Cenation Commander-in-Chief against R-Truth. Although it was The Miz’s intent to ensure that no one opposes him at the May 1 pay-per-view by disqualifying both combatants, Raw’s GM rendered a decision to name two No. 1 contenders in Cena and the rapping Superstar. The following week on Raw, after Morrison questioned whether his former tag team partner was worthy of competing for the WWE Title, The Shaman of Sexy defeated R-Truth to earn his friend’s spot in the Triple Threat Steel Cage Match. Truth didn’t take this defeat lightly, leaving Morrison battered and bruised in a heap at ringside.
In spite of his attempt to eliminate his challengers for the WWE Title at the pay-per-view, The Miz must now prove why he is WWE’s Most Must-See Champion against what may be insurmountable odds inside the confines of the steel cage: The Cenation Commander-in-Chief he defeated at WrestleMania, and his former tag team partner and “Dirt Sheet” co-host.
