WWE Extreme Rules 2011 review (DVD) ★★★

Sunday, May 1, 2011 was the day that US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden. But it was also the day that featured one of the most chaotic events in the WWE calendar: Extreme Rules, a pay-per-view bursting with gimmick matches from top to bottom. The third show of its kind by name, the 2011 edition provided its fair share of memorable matches and hardcore moments involving the likes of tables, ladders and chairs, and saw the conclusion of rivalries that had intensified since previous encounters at WrestleMania 27 a month prior, ultimately making it a solid event where the extreme truly did rule.

Last Man Standing Match: Randy Orton vs. CM Punk ????
What a great conclusion to an intense feud a whole three years after it began. After an excellent performance at WrestleMania under standard rules, it made perfect sense for Orton and Punk to go at it one last time in an anything-goes environment, especially with the New Nexus banned from ringside at the request of the anonymous RAW General Manager. And although Punk came out the other side of the match with yet another pay-per-view loss (I believe at this point he hadn't won at a major event for about a year or something silly), he was made to look like a million bucks against the eventual victor, giving Orton all he had, from multiple strikes with a Singapore cane – one of which was followed by a hilarious Kill Bill-esque pose – and a big-time GTS where he replaced his knee as the point of impact with the steel ring steps. The Straight Edge Superstar also took a heck of a beating, surviving a Powerslam on the hard floor and two RKOs, one in the ring and one on an announce table, before finally succumbing to a third from the top rope. Just a great opener, setting the tone for the rest of the night's stipulations. It could have quite easily been the main event had it not been for the Ladder match, and sent the fans home just as happy as them seeing John Cena become the new WWE Champion.

United States Title – Tables Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Kofi Kingston ??
A bonus bout courtesy of SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long, this contest was a clash between two Superstars who had pretty much been dwindling for a couple of months at this time, Kingston especially. It seemed as if creative didn't quite know what to do with the two, so, as a resolution, paired them together with the United States Championship looming over them. Even as champions, their recent runs hadn't exactly been impressive and they had almost started becoming part of the WWE scenery, which is never a good thing for two athletes as talented as these two.

Tag Team Country Whipping Match: Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler vs. Jack Swagger & Michael Cole ??
For what this was, a leather strap match featuring three commentators, one of whom is one of the most celebrated wrestlers in history, it was just fine. It went far smoother than the Lawler vs. Cole match at WrestleMania and thankfully wasn't given as much time to drag on. I liked the genius of Cole walking out with his limbs covered by bubble wrap as to minimise the pain inflicted by the straps, followed by the inevitable ripping of the wrap at the hands of the King. Another highlight was seeing JR do a little dance before nailing Cole with a running Clothesline. It could have been worse, but hey, I feel that they probably had the best match they could have under the circumstances.

Falls Count Anywhere: Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio ???
Another very good match between these two that came to a close with Mysterio getting vindication after his surprising defeat under the bright lights of WrestleMania. This was a true Falls Count Anywhere match where the competitors didn't just brawl around ringside and up the entrance ramp, but around the building. Mysterio instigated a fight to the top of the arena after leaping off the stage with a seated Senton, which led to back-and-forth action at, would you believe it, a bar, which was used to the advantage of both Superstars with Rhodes and Mysterio nailing the Beautiful Disaster and a crossbody, respectively, from two countertops, before the match spilled back towards the ring. Booker T may have made the smartest call of his short - and largely terrible - tenure as a commentator when he referenced the legendary Great Muta after Mysterio spat a green or grey mist into the eyes of Rhodes, followed by a 619 and springboard splash for the victory. Despite a couple of clearly blown spots, one of which involved local or developmental wrestlers acting as plants in the crowd, this was a really enjoyable bout.

No Disqualification Loser Leaves WWE Match: Michelle McCool vs. Layla ??
Perhaps surprisingly close to three stars for a Divas match, McCool's final outing in the WWE was definitely one of the better ladies bouts in recent memory, with Layla countering a pin attempt with her own to allow the referee to count the one, two, three. As memorable as the match, however, was what happened immediately afterward when Kharma, formerly known as Awesome Kong, made her WWE debut by sending McCool packing from the company with a huge double-underhook Facebuster.

World Heavyweight Championship – Ladder Match: Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio ????
As I mentioned earlier, this bout should have closed the show. No three-way encounter inside a steel cage could top this instant classic, no pun intended. This was one of the best one-on-one Ladder matches I've seen in quite some time and it proved that, even after all these years of countless death-defying leaps and metal-based mayhem, there is still room for innovation when you add ladders to a wrestling match. Here we saw a great number of unforgettable high spots, such as Del Rio jumping off the top rope to the outside while Christian was prone atop a ladder positioned between the ring apron and an announce table, only for him to move out of the way in the nick of time, resulting in the Mexican Aristocrat crashing onto the steel. We even saw a bit of blood. The hard way. Well, that's an understatement. Christian's forehead was minorly cut, while the interfering Brodus Clay had his head split wide open and the crimson was flowing readily. A sick and twisted spectacle of destruction that made way for a brand new - and extremely deserving - champion in the form of Christian, even if he did have the gold for only a few days.

WWE Tag Team Championship – Lumberjack Match: Kane & Big Show (c) vs. Ezekiel Jackson & Wade Barrett ?
I've never found Lumberjack matches particularly appealing and so this one – featuring a whole host of NXT rookies as well as WWE Superstars at ringside – didn't do much for me. Lasting only a few minutes, the champs successfully retained their titles after a Chokeslam from The Big Show to Barrett in what was more of a bout to further the dissension among the ranks of The Corre than anything else. Well, apart from filling time of course.

WWE Championship – Triple Threat Steel Cage Match: The Miz (c) vs. John Cena vs. John Morrison ???
Even though he was not victorious, Morrison's stock sure rose in this match after an excellent performance. Using his high-flying abilities to his advantage in the enclosed environment of the Steel Cage match, the Prince of Parkour was able to unleash a creative arsenal of leaps and dives in a bid to incapacitate his two opponents and escape the wire mesh structure. Although R-Truth crashed the party and put an end to his chances of winning the match, Morrison pulled off the spot of the main event right before by flying backwards off the top of the cage with Starship Pain onto both Cena and The Miz. Speaking of the then-WWE Champion, he took a sickening double Superplex, also from the top of the cage, and landed right on the back of his neck. Thankfully he seemed alright. This was an enjoyable contest concluding with a new champion in Cena after an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope, but as I said, it just could not follow the World Heavyweight Championship match. It couldn't even follow the opener.

EXTRAS ? A home video exclusive interview with then-new World Heavyweight Champion Christian. Sadly we don't get any footage of the biggest pop of the night, aka the bin Laden death announcement by John Cena.