Predicting the Remaining Participants for Extreme Rules

On Raw, Kurt Angle revealed that Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns will compete in a match at Extreme Rules. The winner of said match will go on to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. Right now, we don’t know who else is in the match, or even how many people will be in it. It could be a battle royal , for goodness’ sake. Still, it’s always fun to guess and speculate.

Without further ado, here are some dudes I think could find themselves on the hunt for the Big Red Belt.

braun strowman

I gotta be honest; I did not want Strowman to win the Money in the Bank briefcase. Alas, it is what it is. Still, there’s no reason that he can’t be competing for a shot at Brock Lesnar. Having the Money in the Bank contract does not disqualify you from getting other title shots.

Strowman is literally and figuratively one of the biggest characters on Raw’s roster right now. He is insanely popular (especially in the 45 – 54 range), and people eat up his whole shtick. Plus, Strowman in a 9-Man Extreme Rules Iron Man Elimination match is always a sight worth seeing. Maybe he can dump someone into a trash can and then crush it with his bare hands.

seth rollins

Seth Rollins is arguably one of the performers on Raw today. His Intercontinental Championship reign had been nothing short of stellar and other adjectives people use that are similar in nature to “stellar.” Now that he is no longer defending the white and gold, that frees him up for another spot on the card. Perhaps he will be in the multi-man match at Extreme Rules as well.

Rollins was unsuccessful in last year’s Fatal Five-Way match, but perhaps now he has a better chance. He’s been on a roll lately, what with him having some great matches recently. Perhaps he could be the one to emerge victorious from the 15-Man Extreme Rules Elimination Texas Deathmatch and challenge Lesnar at Summerslam. Only time will tell.

elias

Elias may not have won the Intercontinental Championship at Money in the Bank, but he sure won our hearts. The guitarist and occasional wrestler took Rollins to his limits, and that cannot be overlooked.

Elias then sang a song the next night and claimed that he would be the one to defeat Lesnar. And it’s not like Elias is a rookie to high-profile matches. He was in the Elimination Chamber, in case you’ve forgotten.

A 19-Man Extreme Rules Falls Count Anywhere Match is the perfect environment for someone like Elias. He can use all the underhanded tactics he wants, and he always brings his own weapon with him. Elias could very easily be in the match, and he could very easily win it.

drew mcintyre

Drew McIntyre has been a real big problem ever since he returned to Monday Night Raw. The former Intercontinental Champion and 3MB member has just been wreaking havoc and tearing it up with his new buddy Dolph Ziggler.

While Ziggler is now in possession of the Intercontinental Championship, there’s no reason for McIntyre to not be in pursuit of the Universal Championship. He’s massive, for goodness’ sake. He has tree trunks for legs, steel beams for arms, and he has all the essential minerals and vitamins flowing through his body. He’s a specimen.

Someone as dangerous as Drew McIntyre would fare well in a 30-Man Elimination Extreme Rules I Quit match. McIntyre physically dominates his competition, so don’t be surprised if he’s put into the match at Extreme Rules.

Baron corbin

Baron Corbin is now the Constable of Raw, but don’t think for a second that he wouldn’t love to face Brock Lesnar. In fact, I’d bet a small amount of money that Corbin is even going to insert himself into the match at Extreme Rules, because he’s that kind of person. Yep, he’s a dick.

The Lone Wolf has his fair share of victories in non-traditional, high profile matches (Chairs match with Kalisto, Money in the Bank 2017, Street Fight with Dean Ambrose), so this sort of dangerous environment is great for him. Just imagine a 42-Man Elimination Last Man Standing Extreme Rules match where Corbin just takes out competitors left and right, courtesy of his badass finisher, the End of Days.

jinder mahal

Jinder Mahal’s return to the Raw roster has been a bit of a disaster. He lost his United States Championship immediately after joining Raw. He failed to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match, and then he lost to Roman Reigns. Yikes. And to think that this time last year, Jinder was WWE Champion and defeating Randy Orton. What a difference a year makes.

Still, Jinder might find his way into the match. After all, he is a former WWE Champion. And he has something none of the other competitors have; he has the most victories in Punjabi Prison matches in the entire Raw roster. Heck, he has more Punjabi Prison victories than both the Raw and Smackdown rosters combined. That’s saying something.

If Extreme Rules is the home of a 75-Man Extreme Rules Punjabi Prison Match to determine Brock Lesnar’s next opponent, then don’t be surprised if it’s Jinder Mahal.

kevin owens

Kevin Owens is one of only four men who are able to call themselves “Universal Champion”. He held the title for a whopping 188 days before losing it in 30 seconds to a Jewish man. Alas, such is life.

As it is, though, Owens has been in more Universal Championship matches than anyone on the roster, including current champion, Brock “Brock Lesnar” Lesnar.

Owens also has a violent streak. He’s undefeated in Hell in a Cell matches. The Prizefighter could be added to the match at Extreme Rules on merit alone. If it is an 88-Man Elimination First Blood Extreme Rules match, then Owens could very well be one of the competitors.

finn balor

Finn Balor is the first Universal Champion, and he never technically lost the belt. We know this because he will not shut up about it. I get where he’s coming from, but it’s been two years now. Just let it go, dude.

Anywho, Balor is still one of the biggest stars on Raw’s roster right now. Despite never getting that match for the Universal Championship, Balor’s done well for himself. But perhaps he could be doing better.

If he is added to the 100-Man Extreme Rules Inferno Match at Extreme Rules, then he could be on his way to getting his shot at reclaiming the Universal Championship.