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

By Bryan Heaton

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Photo Source: WWE.com

SmackDown Women’s Championship, James Ellsworth Suspended Above the Ring in a Shark Cage

Carmella (c) vs. Asuka

Result: Carmella defeated Asuka via pinfall

Rating: 2.25 out of 5 stars

Before the match got under way, cameras cut to the back for a limited skirmish between the Bludgeon Brothers and Team Hell No. It ended with Harper and Rowan decimating both Kane and Daniel Bryan, including smashing Kane’s leg inside a door with a sledgehammer.

As far as the Women’s Championship match, I think everyone knows how I feel about shark cage stipulations. I also think everyone knows how I feel about the current booking of Asuka. So for WWE to basically acknowledge all of these shortcomings early on in the match is the most self aware the company has been in years.

Within about 45 seconds, Ellsworth did the one thing you knew he would do inside a shark cage — pass a weapon on to Carmella. It’s like going to a James Bond movie for the quips and romance, and getting it in the opening montage. After that, you can actually pay attention to the movie. Same here — you know Ellsworth is going to interfere, so let him do it insanely early.

But it’s unsuccessful, because everyone on the planet knew he would interfere, including Asuka. So she foils the master plan, and beats up Carmella. And how do you top one weapons pass? By immediately doing a second one.

Of course, that one doesn’t work, either, so it’s like a rerun until Ellsworth does the only other thing in his arsenal — he picks the lock and escapes. Well, kinda, since he got caught under the cage like a piñata for Asuka to wail away on.

Trope subversion is always a good thing, but the bigger problem with it is that Asuka is feuding more with James Ellsworth than her actual opponent Carmella. Who, by the way, was the smartest person in the ring tonight, since all she did was bide her time for a cheap win. So Asuka loses again, it’s Ellsworth’s fault again, and Carmella retains again.

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