Review for WWE Extreme Rules 2013

The first PPV after Wrestlemania is usually either a huge let down or tries too hard to be relevant. This is a mix of the two. At times it feels like one step forward and two steps back with some matches which may have meant something at Mania (Triple H's career being on the line etc) just being a rematch with nothing much else going for it. However, the fact it is 'extreme' makes you realise just how far away from 'extreme' WWE can get in the PG era. I do wish that the ruling could be that on TV WWE would be as PG as was necessary, but when it got to PPV then they could pull out all the stops. This is not to say that the PPV is bad, it's not. Here is a run down of the card:

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango
Almost worth watching Fandango's entrance for Summer Rae. A great match from both, though you do wonder why Jericho allowed him the win at Mania if there was no real follow up to it. Still great action though.

US Championship
Kofi KIngston vs. Dean Ambrose
A good match ruined by the cheap ending. I understand why they did it, but really it just took something away from the match.

Strap Match
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry
I haven't seen a strap match in years, but after seeing this one I understand why. I was so bored by this match. It wasn't the brutality of earlier matches, nor was it really entertaining. It was more like watching too bulls play tug of war... no that doesn't sound very interesting does it?

I Quit Match
Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger
Do I even need to comment? Two of my least favourite wrestlers in a technical match? This was just boring.

Tag Team Tornado Match for WWE Tag Team Championship
Team Hell No vs. The Shield
What's going on? An entertaining tag match? How did that work. This actually was pretty fun. It would have made sense to have explained the match more, but both teams actually made this an entertaining match, just a shame it wasn't very long.

Extreme Rules
Rady Orton vs. Big Show
This was actually a pretty good match, both pulled out some great moments and the ending was amazing.

Last Man Standing Match for WWE Championship
John Cena vs. Ryback
Another good match ruined and I mean RUINED by the stupid ending. I watched the ending just stunned by the utter stupidity of it! A waste of time for everyone involved.

Steel Cage Match
Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar
I understand why this was last and WWE made the right decision. This match was awesome and it will be surprising if it is not in the running for Match of the Year. I could not believe how wonderful this match was. Both played well against each other and there were so many moments when it looked like the other had the momentum, but then it changed in a second. A great way to end the PPV.

Extreme Rules 2013 is such a mixbag of an event that it is difficult to describe. In some ways it did exactly what it should have done and in terms of the Tag match and the Brock/Triple H match delivered in spades, but almost everything else on the PPV was utterly skippable. It would be hard to recommend people to buy this based on one or two matches and I doubt anyone would watch this PPV again, but if you do want to watch one of the best matches of 2013 then this is certainly one to pick up.