WWE Extreme Rules 2018: Live Review, Results, Highlights, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

Intercontinental Championship 30-Minute Iron Man Match

Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Seth Rollins

Result: Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins in overtime (4-4 after 30 minutes)

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Somewhat surprisingly, but much appreciated, was the Iron Man Match getting the main event slot of WWE Extreme Rules 2018. When Reigns and Lashley went on earlier in the show, I figured (like I’m sure many of you did) Styles and Rusev would close the show. But no, Ziggler and Rollins get the nod, proving that the Intercontinental Championship is the most prestigious title in the company.

In just under five minutes, Rollins took a 1-0 lead with a La Magistral cradle. To me, that should indicate the high-scoring affair I’ve always wanted in an Iron Man Match. Less than four minutes later, Rollins hit the Blackout for a 2-0 lead, which was followed quickly by a 3-0 lead via DQ when Drew McIntyre interfered.

It’s actually brilliant strategy if you think about it. The amount of damage inflicted by McIntyre’s rampage may have cost Ziggler a fall, but he pretty quickly took advantage to draw to 3-2. It was like a sacrifice bunt in baseball. (Shut up, SABR nerds, it’s a perfectly acceptable strategic move!)

After a quick pin immediately after the Claymore Kick, Ziggler followed with a superkick to get back to down one with 19 minutes to go. And a Zig Zag tied things at 3 with just under 18 minutes left. So even though Drew was tossed from ringside following his assault, he paid tremendous dividends.

The Show Off started bending the rules a bit midway through the match, as Dolph took a 4-3 lead by scoring a pinfall with his feet on the ropes for leverage. Of course, the fans didn’t really care — all they cared about was counting down with the clock and making the Royal Rumble buzzer sound every. Damn. Minute.

It’s incredibly aggravating when fans whine and complain about “always getting the same main events,” and wanting new guys pushed, then when those new guys get pushed and go on in the main event, no one pays attention to the match. The WWE Universe is the worst sometimes. Remember when Kevin Owens had to get on the mic during a Raw commercial break to chastise fans for doing the wave?

Throughout all that, though, Rollins began his comeback, which looked like it was going to be all for naught. Ziggler kicked out after a suicide dive, a frog splash, and the superplex/Falcon Arrow combo Rollins does so well. Finally, with a little more than three minutes left, Rollins tied it up.

The last two minutes were booked kind of stupidly. Rollins went for a few submission holds, but there was way too much time left for it to be dramatic enough. Then Ziggler rolled outside the ring with a minute left, and the announcers said he was trying to escape with a tie. BUT WHY WOULDN’T THE REF JUST COUNT HIM OUT AND MAKE HIM GO DOWN 5-4? There’s no logic anywhere in that.

Rollins hit a Blackout with five seconds left, but couldn’t make the pin in time. So it’s a draw — until incompetent Kurt Angle orders sudden death overtime. A wild Drew McIntyre appears — it’s super effective! — and Ziggler wins in the first four seconds of overtime.

After having such high hopes for this match — which was really good, don’t get me wrong — the last two and a half minutes of regulation and the entirety of overtime just killed it dead. It’s WWE in a nutshell, you know?

Next: Extreme Rules: Hype Rankings

So what did you think of WWE Extreme Rules 2018?