At WWE Extreme Rules 2014 , the King of Swing, Real American, and the Whole Dam Show had a tough match ahead of them, because they would be facing each other in a Triple Threat Elimination Match. Clearly a nod to ECW’s “Three Way Dance”, the card had Jack Swagger versus Rob Van Dam versus Cesaro in a match where they had to keep their eyes open for not one, but two opponents each. Technically, if Paul Heyman and Zeb Coulter are added into the mix, two of the wrestlers have three people to look out for, while Rob Van Dam was at a clear disadvantage with four. In the end, Cesaro came out on top as he attained victory, which of course would add more to Heyman’s ego these days.
This match was in the making since Wrestlemania XXX , when Cesaro became the first winner of the Andre The Giant Over The Top Rope Battle Royale. Zeb Colter, was banking on Cesaro’s victory the next night on Monday Night RAW just to be told, from Cesaro himself, that the Swiss Superman has jumped ship to Paul Heyman. Since then, his former teammate and friend, Jack Swagger, had issues with him. Rob Van Dam was thrown into the mix because he eliminated Cesaro from the Intercontinental championship #1 contenders tournament. Cesaro returned the favor by distracting Rob Van Dam in the final match of the tournament, giving Bad News Barrett enough time to take out Van Dam.
Ergo, the match between the three was set at WWE Extreme Rules 2014 . Prior to the match, Paul Heyman, once again, enforced the fact that his client, Brock Lesnar, ended the Undertaker’s Undefeated Streak at Wrestlemania XXX , which was easily the low-point of the match (but it did help push Heyman’s heel status again).
The first half was simply a back and forth battle between all three contenders. There weren’t many stand-out parts considered “memorable,” but there were parts that was more than what was commonly shown on the basic shows or stuff that angered the WWE fans. For example, Jack Swagger countered Rob Van Dam’s kick off the top turnbuckle into the Patriot Lock. At another time, Rob Van Dam performed his spinning heel kick to Cesaro while he was giving the swing to Jack Swagger. That angered the WWE fans.
Eventually, Swagger was the first wrestler eliminated. After taking a superplex from Cesaro on the second turnbuckle while standing on the ring apron, Rob Van Dam came crashing down with the 5-Star Frog Splash out of nowhere. Both big moves was enough to pin the Real American down for the count of three. Now the match became one-on-one, and it is also during this part, that it picked up, especially when Van Dam pulled out a trash can from underneath the ring.
There was a moment when Cesaro could have lost because he took multiple signature moves from Van Dam. This includes Rolling Thunder, the Split-Legged Moonsault, and even the Van Daminator with the trash can. The final setup was for the 5-Star Frog Splash on a prone Cesaro on his back, and a trash can on his chest. Fortunately for Cesaro, he moved out of the way, but left the trash can in his place for Van Dam, who took the impact with full force. This was the moment Cesaro needed as he quickly delivered the Neutralizer on Van Dam on a trash can for the win.
Ever since his victory at Wrestlemania XXX , Cesaro has been on a role in the WWE. Another win at WWE Extreme Rules 2014 will just enforce his position as a Heyman guy. Nevertheless, his war with the Real Americans is still far from over. Now adding Rob Van Dam into the mix, this war just turned even more interesting.
Paige is considered a miracle WWE Divas champion because of how she won it. However, being a miracle can also mean being a fluke. This time, she will need to defend her title against “the toughest diva” on the current roster, Tamina Snuka, at WWE Extreme Rules . By the end of the night, it would be apparent that she is no fluke, as she defeated Tamina to retain.
This match begins back on the first WWE Monday Night RAW after Wrestlemania XXX . WWE fans were mixed with feelings of utter shock from the Undertaker having his Undefeated Streak broken by Brock Lesnar, and elation that the wrestler representing them, Daniel Bryan, was finally champion. However, another memorable moment at Wrestlemania XXX was when the longest-reigning divas champion, AJ Lee , defeated the entire divas roster in a single night. It was so memorable that Paige, fresh off of NXT, came out to congratulate AJ. Unfortunately for Paige, AJ took it as an insult as she smacked around Paige for a bit, then forced her into a match. Her hubris took over too as she put her divas title on the line. Soon misfortune, would turn to fortune for Paige, as she did what no diva could do for 294 days, defeat AJ Lee for the championship. The win was so sudden, even AJ less was surprised when she realized what had happened.
Over the next few weeks, Paige would defend her title against Alicia Fox and Aksana in which she scored victories. She also introduced her second finisher, the Modified Scorpion Crosslock. However, her biggest challenge would come in the form of a Tropical Storm, who so happened to be AJ Lee’s bodyguard and only friend, Tamina Snuka. The “toughest diva on the current roster” earned her chance to dethrone the “diva of tomorrow” by winning an over-the-top-rope divas battle royale for the #1 contender spot at WWE Extreme Rules . Since then, she’s been prepared to make Paige a memory and gain the championship for the first time in her career.
At WWE Extreme Rules 2014 , Paige quickly set the pace of the match. She wanted it to be fast so that Tamina wouldn’t have enough time to think. With numerous pinning situations applied, Tamina spent most of the start of the bout kicking out. It was when Paige attempted to do a headscissors takedown from the ring apron to Tamina standing outside the ring that the match slowed. Paige connected, but she wasn’t able to follow through with the takedown as Tamina swung her into the barracade.
The diva of tomorrow almost gave in to the overbearing power of the tropical storm diva, but her tenacity kept her in the match as she countered Tamina’s super kick into the setup for the Modified Scorpion Crosslock. Tamina was in shock as she realized what was happening, and then it was too late when her arms were hooked backwards and her body was lifted off the canvas. Tamina couldn’t take it anymore as she tapped out in submission.
With a history-making introduction and a successful WWE pay-per-view victory under her belt, Paige shows now signs of slowing. But will it be short lived? Because eventually, the “Best Diva in the World” will return and maybe, just maybe, Paige might find herself submitting to the will of the Black Widow.
For complete general results of every match at WWE Extreme Rules 2014 , please check out The Inquisitr ‘s live results page for the pay-per-view.
[Image via WWE Extreme Rules Page]