Extreme rules: better than WrestleMania XXX

Extreme Rules was a superior wrestling show to WrestleMania XXX. What's more, everyone who should have gone over did so.

The opening match, won by Cesaro, was red-hot.

The Alexander Rusev squash was perfectly acceptable for what it was meant to be.

Bad News Barrett vs. Big E. wasn't as spirited as the Barrett/Sheamus blinder from the April 21 Raw, but was more than adequate, and was another step forward for Barrett, who is getting over, contrary to my predictions.

The Shield vs. Evolution match was a slow starter, which erupted into a firecracker of a match. What a finishing sequence inside and outside the ring. Roman Reigns is the chosen one.

The Cage match was a confusing sell/no-sell, mistimed bump and interference-filled shambles, admittedly. That said, this was a Cena effort -- which should explain everything. It was obvious after the finish of the three-on-one handicap match on the April 21 Raw that the entire Wyatt Family would not beat Cena. There had to be some other form of interference to derail the bumbling bore; he's not allowed to lose fairly, except to real stars, like The Rock, or Daniel Bryan, whose win was never mentioned again. The nature of the victory by escape at Extreme Rules (child turns up at ringside causing Cena to freeze just before he made his escape after crushing everyone) was the best Wyatt could hope for. 

Paige vs. Tamina Snuka was fair, considering Snuka has been a walking coat hanger for years. Paige scored a convincing win by tap out. Again, mission: accomplished.

Finally, Daniel Bryan beat Kane in an Extreme Rules match which I refuse to believe short-changed anyone. There was wrestling, brawling, gimmicks and even a fire spot (lame as it was) at the end. Bryan's no-sell of the neck injury and Kane's no-sell afterwards were totally cartoonish, but this is the era we're trapped in. It's not going to change.

Extreme Rules was WWE's best show since SummerSlam 2013.