Bleacher Report's WWE Staff Predictions for Extreme Rules 2020 Match Card

WWE has chosen an odd theme for this year's Extreme Rules pay-per-view by dubbing it "The Horror Show." It's not Halloween season and there's no logical reason for this to be a thing, but here we are.

One potential upside, though, is the theme has allowed the company to book some unconventional stipulations for Sunday's pay-per-view.

Here's a look at the card as of Friday morning:

• MVP vs. Apollo Crews (United States Championship)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE Championship)
• Asuka vs. Sasha Banks (Raw Women's Championship)
• Bayley vs. Nikki Cross (SmackDown Women's Championship)
• Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt (Wyatt Swamp Fight)
• Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins (Eye for an Eye)

Let's see how the Bleacher Report staff members think everything will go down Sunday. Here's our lineup of contributors:

• Graham "GSM" Matthews (GM) (@WrestleRant)
• Kevin Berge (KB) (@KevinBerge)
• Donald Wood (DW) (@Donald_Wood)
• Erik Beaston (EB) (@ErikBeaston)
• Anthony Mango (AM) (@ToeKneeManGo)
• Chris Mueller (CM) (@BR_Doctor)

Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre

Q: Is Ziggler main event material at this point in his career or is he just being used as a stepping stone for McIntyre?

If Ziggler were consistently booked as a credible threat, he'd be a perpetual main event talent. However, WWE has him fluctuating from top challenger to fledgling midcard star or tag team act all the time. It ruins his credibility and makes it so he never appears to be a legitimate opponent for someone like McIntyre, who will undoubtedly retain at Extreme Rules.

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

Randy Orton vs. Big Show, The IIconics vs. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott, The Street Profits vs. Andrade and Angel Garza, The New Day vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a tables match and AJ Styles or Baron Corbin against Matt Riddle would all have made perfect sense for this show.

Out of those, I'd go with the SmackDown tag team title tables match, as that seems like the most fitting for this card. It doesn't have as much potential to continue beyond this point, and the gimmick match suits the pay-per-view.

Asuka vs. Sasha Banks

Q: Between Banks and Asuka, which Superstar plays the better heel? 

Banks is far better in the heel role than Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow has been slightly more interesting since turning heel about a year ago, but she was also perfectly fine as a face before then and was massively over with the audience. The same can be said for Banks, but from a character standpoint, she isn't nearly as interesting as a face as she is now as a heel. The Boss persona just comes naturally to her.

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

If not The Street Profits vs. Andrade and Garza for the Raw Tag Team Championship, then Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin. Riddle will be getting his shot at the Intercontinental Championship this Friday on SmackDown, but it seems a lot more likely Corbin will cost him the belt to set up a bout between the two at the event.

Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt

Q: If The Fiend was to recreate The Wyatt Family with three new followers, who would you book to join the stable and why? 

While my heart wants The Fiend on his own and far away from a stable similar to The Wyatt Family, there are several talented Superstars on the main roster who could use the rub of working with the former world champion. The three names that immediately spring to mind are Aleister Black, Ruby Riott and Shelton Benjamin.

Individually, each of them is supremely talented but has been cast aside or relegated to supporting roles. With The Wyatt Family, though, they would be focal points on WWE programming and possibly reach the level of success they deserve.

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

For once, WWE has booked an entertaining pay-per-view with Extreme Rules. With that said, two athletes I'd like to see added to the card are Bianca Belair and Kairi Sane.

While they aren't currently involved in a feud, throwing them together in an impromptu match would create the potential for a five-star classic. Sane would have to take the loss to the rising star of Belair, who is destined to be one of the greatest female performers in WWE history.

MVP vs. Apollo Crews

Q: What do you think of the new U.S. title design? Is it an improvement on the previous one?

It is an improvement on a tired design, but it could have been better. The lack of blue in the design is glaring. The "champion" on the title is too big. However, it is a welcome adjustment that was more than warranted. It will look good on Crews going forward.

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

It is honestly shocking that The New Day vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro in a tables match is not already on the card. The two teams have done so much to develop this story, and the talent involved would add so much to the Extreme Rules card.

The Swiss Cyborg and The Artist need something to run with, and they deserve a match on a major show again. New Day should be on every WWE card as long as Kofi Kingston and Big E stay healthy. This is a no-brainer.

Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins

Q: This match is obviously not going to end with somebody losing an eye. How would you book the finish?

Mysterio got the best of Rollins on Monday's Raw, so that would point toward The Monday Night Messiah winning here. If that is the case, a grizzly, savage beating that leaves no doubt that we won't be seeing Mysterio for a while, followed by whatever CGI magic WWE has in store for the match. It is ludicrous, but such a match was destined to be anyway.

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

While it may not be the most eagerly anticipated match, Big Show vs. Randy Orton really should be on the card, especially if WWE has any plans for The Viper at SummerSlam.

He has been the hottest heel on the men's roster, and the star power alone in that match would bolster a fairly bland card otherwise. Why waste it on a Raw destined to get obliterated in the ratings?

Bayley vs. Nikki Cross

Q: This match wasn’t given a special stipulation. Which one do you think would fit best for these two Superstars and why?

Bayley can adapt to any situation, but Nikki Cross is a very specific kind of character. She thrives off of chaos and for that reason, a Tables, Ladders & Chairs or ladder match would be ideal. She proved she can do the hardcore style when she feuded with Asuka in NXT, and Bayley has always shined when given a gimmick match. 

Bonus Question

Q: A lot of notable stars are absent from this card. Book one more match with anyone who has been featured on Raw or SmackDown recently and explain why it would be a good addition.

Matches like Orton vs. Big Show and The New Day vs. Cesaro and Nakamura will probably be added during SmackDown, but when it comes to the one I would like to see, give me Ruby Riott and Bianca Belair vs. The IIconics in an Extreme Rules match.

Belair and Riott could build some momentum and it would allow Liv Morgan to interfere to form her alliance with Riott once more. 

This would also give Peyton Royce and Billie Kay an opportunity to show the world they can do more than people think. They are both good wrestlers who don't get enough credit for their skills from a large number of fans. 

All respondents' predictions are represented by their initials next to their choices.

• MVP vs. Apollo Crews (AM, GM, DW, KB, EB, CM)
• Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre (AM, GM, DW, KB, EB, CM)
• Asuka (AM, GM, DW, KB, EB) vs. Sasha Banks (CM)
• Bayley (AM, GM, DW, KB, EB, CM) vs. Nikki Cross
• Braun Strowman (DW, KB, EB) vs. Bray Wyatt (AM, GM, CM)
• Rey Mysterio (DW, KB) vs. Seth Rollins (AM, GM, EB, CM)