Extreme Rules is one of the annual premium live events WWE has been producing since 2009. There have been 13 events under the Extreme Rules chronology, and the next edition will take place on October 8, 2022, and will emanate from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
WWE promotes the event as the one night the superstars go extreme, and while that might be the case for only some matches, certain bouts failed to live up to the event's name.
With that said, let's take a look at 10 of the worst matches from the Extreme Rules event history, as ranked by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
11 Special Mentions
Before we get to the lowest-rated matches, there are certain bouts Dave Meltzer didn't believe worthy enough to give an official rating. Apart from the dark matches before the start of the actual event, several squash matches that lasted mere seconds, and two MITB cash-ins, Meltzer didn't deem the following contests as worthy of giving a rating.
The list includes the Wyatt Swamp Fight between Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman at Extreme Rules 2020, the Raw Women's title Kendo Stick On A Pole match between Bayley and Alexa Bliss in 2017, the Divas title match between Layla and Nikki Bella in 2012, the US title match between The Miz and R-Truth in 2012, and the Tag Team Gauntlet match in 2010.
10 Jack Swagger & Michael Cole Vs. Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross (Extreme Rules 2011) - 1.25
In the next development to one of the most annoying feuds in WWE history, Michael Cole teamed up with Jack Swagger to take on Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross in a Country Whipping match at Extreme Rules 2011.
Michael Cole covered himself with bubble wrap to endure the impact of the whips, but Lawler punched Cole down and stripped the bubble wrap off of him.
Lawler made the hot tag to Jim Ross, and the latter started taking out Cole with the whip. When Swagger tried to interfere, Ross hit him with a low blow and repeatedly assaulted him with the whip, only for Cole to roll him up with a schoolboy to get the pin.
9 Carmella Vs. Asuka (Extreme Rules 2018) - 1.25
After retaining the SmackDown Women's Championship against Asuka with James Ellsworth's help at the 2018 MITB PPV, Carmella had to defend the title against Asuka once again at Extreme Rules 2018, with Ellsworth suspended above the ring inside a shark cage.
Ellsworth opened the cage door by picking the lock but got his foot stuck in the cage and hung upside down. Asuka took out her frustrations on Ellsworth by landing several kicks before Carmella shoved her into the cage and pinned her to retain the title.
8 Brodus Clay Vs. Dolph Ziggler (Extreme Rules 2012) - 1.00
Brodus Clay started a rivalry with Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger after he saved Santino Marella from them on the Raw after WrestleMania 28. After a series of events, WWE announced a match between Clay and Ziggler at Extreme Rules 2012.
They put on a short and uninspiring match at the event, which saw Ziggler take initial control after interference from Swagger. However, Clay gained momentum and took Ziggler down with a headbutt before delivering a running splash to get the pinfall.
7 Beth Phoenix Vs. Michelle McCool (Extreme Rules 2010) - 0.75
Beth Phoenix started a rivalry with Michelle McCool and Layla over the Divas Championship in 2010. After getting assaulted by LayCool and getting her face painted with lipstick, Phoenix got the chance to face Michelle McCool in an extreme makeover match for the title at Extreme Rules 2010.
Michelle McCool got the upper hand after spraying Phoenix's eyes with hairspray and started attacking her with an ironing board. Despite Layla and Vickie Guerrero's interruptions, Phoenix defeated McCool with a Glam Slam to walk out of the event as the new Divas Champion.
6 Kane & The Big Show Vs. The Corre (Extreme Rules 2011) - 0.75
Kane and The Big Show reunited in 2011 to feud against Wade Barrett's faction "The Corre" and defeated Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater on the April 22, 2011, episode of Raw to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.
They put the title on the line against Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson at Extreme Rules 2011 in a Lumberjack Match, and it was a short contest that lasted only 4:15 minutes.
Ezekiel Jackson had the Big Show down in the ring, but Barrett tagged himself in, only to get taken out by The Big Show with a chokeslam to lose the match.
5 Rusev Vs. R-Truth & Xavier Woods (Extreme Rules 2014) - 0.75
Rusev made his main roster debut in April 2014 and worked his way through several squash matches. He also scored victories over R-Truth and Xavier Woods and laid them out in post-match beatdowns after the respective matches.
It led to Woods and Truth teaming up to face Rusev in a 2-on-1 handicap match at Extreme Rules 2014. At the event, Rusev made quick work of Xavier Woods and took him out before the match began before forcing Truth to submit to The Accolade to get the win in just 2:53 minutes.
4 JTG Vs. Shad Gaspard (Extreme Rules 2010) - 0.50
Shad Gaspard turned heel on his Cryme Tyme partner JTG after suffering a quick loss against John Morrison and R-Truth on the April 2, 2010, episode of SmackDown. It sparked a rivalry between the former partners, resulting in a Strap Match between the two at Extreme Rules 2010.
At the event, Shad Gaspard used his strength to dominate his former partner. In the closing moments, Gaspard carried JTG on his shoulders and started to tag the corners, unaware that JTG was also doing the same behind his back.
As Gaspard touched the third corner, JTG hit him with a Box Cutter and touched the final corner to get the win for himself.
3 Cody Rhodes Vs. The Big Show (Extreme Rules 2012) - 0.25
The Big Show defeated Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 28 to win the Intercontinental Championship. Rhodes received his rematch for the title at Extreme Rules 2012, and WWE revealed the stipulation for the contest as a Tables Match by a wheel spin in the event's pre-show.
The World's largest athlete had the early advantage in the match, but after enduring some punishment, Rhodes managed to outsmart the giant by dropkicking Show when he tried to re-enter the ring.
The Big Show stepped on and broke a table at ringside after taking the dropkick, resulting in Rhodes winning the match and the title.
2 Ryback Vs. Enhancement Talent (Extreme Rules 2012) - 0.25
Following the end of the Nexus storyline, WWE repackaged Skip Sheffield as Ryback and re-introduced him to the fans in April 2012. Booked as a power-house wrestler, Ryback worked through multiple squash matches and defeated various local talents in the weeks leading to Extreme Rules 2012.
At the event, Ryback competed in a 2-on-1 handicap match against two enhancement talents named Aaron Relic and Jay Hatton. As expected, Ryback made quick work of the two poor wrestlers and defeated them in 1:51 minutes.
1 Santina Marella Vs. Chavo Guerrero & Vickie Guerrero (Extreme Rules 2009) - (-1.00)
After Santino Marella won the Miss WrestleMania battle royal at WrestleMania 25 by dressing in drag as his fictitious twin sister Santina, he lost the title to Vickie Guerrero on the May 18, 2009, episode of Raw.
It led to Marella getting a rematch against Vickie Guerrero in a Hog Pen match at the inaugural Extreme Rules event in June 2009. It was a handicap match as Vickie Guerrero's nephew Chavo Guerrero competed alongside Santina.
Marella and Chavo Guerrero fought inside the pen full of mud, and in the end, Santina took down Chavo and pinned Vickie to win the match and reclaim the Miss WrestleMania title.