With Extreme Rules approaching rapidly the match card is looking full to the brim with excited and tantalizing violence filled bouts.

However, which brawls of history past have stood out and paved the way for the upcoming pay per view?

The beginning (2006)

RVD celebrates his Championship win with his fellow ECW alumni (image:bleacherreport.com)
RVD celebrates his Championship win with his fellow ECW alumni (image:bleacherreport.com)

One time, before its current name came to be, it was once called ECW: One Night Stand, where for "One Night Only" the no longer existing hardcore wrestling company took over the WWE for a violence stuffed occasion.

The main event of the PPV was John Cena - the crowd favorite Rob Van Dam, it was to be The Vandaminator's night as at the peak of his powers he took the leader of The Cenation to his absolute limit with the two legend's of the business putting on a 'slobberknocker' of a match. 

However, it was an interference from The Rated R superstar that swayed the match indefinitely towards the man from Battle Creek, Michigan, as Edge speared the then WWE Champion through a table, allowing RVD to hit the Five Star Frog Splash and pick up the victory with Paul Heyman making the three count. 

The layers of the match were exquisite with Cena the acting heel for this match despite his good guy image, he entered hostile territory where fans literally threw his t-shirt back at Big Match Cena, it brought a sense of realism back to the pinnacle of the industry and laid the foundation for what could and should have been a great period for the newly established ECW. 

Ten Years in the Making

Edge applies a painful move to the legs of Jeff Hardy (image: wrestlestars.com)
Edge applies a painful move to the legs of Jeff Hardy (image: wrestlestars.com)

You think of the word 'Extreme' and many superstars come to mind, but very soon two names will appear in Jeff Hardy and Edge (with the latter making his second appearance on this list). Both men met in a Ladder Match at Extreme Rules in 2009 for the World Heavyweight Championship putting on one heck of a contest.

The slow methodical build up of the smaller spots attacking certain sections of each others body before taking it to the next level in a 30-minute test of limits. Both men were willing to leave it all in the ring purely to stop their opponent from reaching for the gold. 

This match displayed an expert level of psychology with the two men both highly experienced at this point in their careers. The highlight of the match occurred when both superstars went straight through a horizontal ladder from 20ft in the air, in a spot that surely must have contributed to the retirement of the Rated R Superstar just two years later. 

Hardy was the victor in this truly epic brawl as he eventually pulled his foe through the runk of the ladders lodging him and leaving him without an escape, forcing him to watch on as he unwrapped the goal swinging above his head.

The Evolution of The Shield

The Shield deliver a triple powerbomb to Batista (image:shield235.rssing.com)
The Shield deliver a triple powerbomb to Batista (image:shield235.rssing.com)

Few factions over the years have resonated or connected with the crowd as well as the team of Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins from the moment they arrived until the moment they disbanded they made waves during their time so much so that fans are still calling for a return of the faction. 

The Shield squared off against Evolution consisting of Randy Orton, Triple H and Batista as the three veterans put on a heel performance master class and propelled their opponents to even greater babyface status. 

The near falls and close finishes only increased the level of anticipation of who would win this war which could be one of the greatest six-man tag team matches of all time. There was very little 'Extreme' events in this match besides a brawl within the crowd and a huge dive from Rollins; it did not matter in the grand scheme of things, however, as the performance in the ring and the technique of the superstars was enough to make it on this list. 

The Big Dog Reigns was the man who ended up with his arm raised after pinning The Animal Batista in the centre of the ring, this represented that all three rookies could compete with the top guys in the company so much so that two years later, one of them is in the main event, the other has his own specific match and the other is soon to return to a standing ovation.

John Cena tames the Beast

Lesnar stands over Cena in a sinister fashion (image: thegoodworker.blogspot,com)
Lesnar stands over Cena in a sinister fashion (image: thegoodworker.blogspot,com)

Fancy meeting a legitimate fighting expert inside a closed space where he can do anything and everything he desires? Smart decision but Mr. Cena refused to lie down and back out of a challenge and met face to face with the recently returned Brock Lesnar in 2012. 

The man from West Newbury, Massachusetts was busted wide open early on and forced medical staff to intervene, The Beast did not care and looked to take out his opponent while he was still vulnerable. This like the match featuring Van Dam brought the sense of realism back, which is what the main focus of this PPV is to do. 

Lesnar should have had the victory sealed as he completely decimated his opponent but in the process he knocked out referee Charles Robinson (twice) before picking him up, one handed, by his shirt and placing him into the ring as if he were carrying an infant. He then proceeded to attack the replacement referee but a strike to the face of the former UFC Fighter with Cena's signature chain allowed the Face of the WWE to deliver an Attitude Adjustment onto the steel steps. 

The two-time Wrestling Observer Newsletter wrestler of the year managed to get the victory but in a match where both men managed to be over with the crowd. It announced to the crowd that The Beast was more than just a returning superstar he was a main event caliber athlete capable of putting on a great match. 

The Rematch Everybody Wanted

The promo poster for Sheamus - Daniel Bran (image:dailymotion.com)
The promo poster for Sheamus - Daniel Bran (image:dailymotion.com)

Daniel Bryan, what more can you say that hasn't already been proclaimed by the WWE Universe? The Leader of the Yes Movement was defeated by The Celtic Warrior Sheamus at WrestleMania 28 in just 18 seconds, on a night where neither of the talents was able to show the crowd their abilities. 

Fast forward 28-days-later and the seemingly dead and buried Bryan, rose to life, thanks to his high-flying ability and underdog character mixing perfectly with the brute force of The Irishman. The contest was Two-Out-of-Three-Falls but was filled with endless action and was the beginning of American Dragon's ascension to stardom. 

With the smaller grappler losing the first fall as he ignored a count from the referee he regained his deficit via his Yes Lock forcing the current World Champion to pass out, rather than tap in an admirable showing of pride. Sheamus, however, managed to hit the Brogue Kick to end his opponents chances of leaving with the gold, but the significance of the match lay not with the victor but with Bryan, the WWE Universe, and backstage.

After a well-fought match, something clicked, and people were behind the former Independent icon, the story of the American Dragon and his dominance of the WWE is well documented and unfortunately he is likely to never set foot inside a wrestling ring again, but for matches like this, his legacy will forever remain, as even on a card called 'Extreme Rules' he did not need to use weapons to put on a masterclass of a performance. 

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About the author
Joel Lampkin
Sports Journalist from Chester University, Professional wrestling writer. Contact [email protected]