Extreme Rules 2014

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 182 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: July 21 2014

The first PPV in the new era of WWE after WrestleMania XXX is a worthwhile card with several entertaining battles, and one which takes the "Extreme" name to the, erm, extreme (hint: the DVD cover spoils it).

An enjoyable elimination three-way between Cesaro, Jack Swagger and Rob Van Dam kicks things off, before a basic match which sees Alexander Rusev crush R-Truth and Xavier Woods, and a Big E-Bad News Barrett Intercontinental Title match which sees Barrett generate huge support from the NeW Jersey crowd. The Shield vs. Evolution comes next and is the highlight of the show; a really good and well-paced six-man match that builds up to a big finish, and one which shines a major spotlight on Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

Regrettably, the Steel Cage bout between John Cena and Bray Wyatt is disappointing, partly due to the bizarre finish which I won't spoil for you here. Paige vs. Tamina Snuka is okay as a way to debut Paige on the Pay-Per-View stage, and the show-closing Extreme Rules match between Daniel Bryan and Kane is a fun brawl which, as alluded to earlier, has a surprisingly risky climax, at least by the standards of the modern, PG-rated WWE. The bonus match is the pre-show WeeLC match between Hornswoggle and El Torito, and credit to both for delivering a match that is far better than expected.

Had Cena-Wyatt been a powerful effort, then Extreme Rules 2014 would have been even more appealing to own on DVD. As it is, though, there's still plenty of action to keep you entertained, and the show serves as proof that there is life in WWE after the end of The Undertaker's WrestleMania Streak.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable