5 Things You Probably Don't Remember About The First WWE Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View
Was it really 11 years ago already?
In 2009, WWE introduced a number of new pay-per-view handles as a way of freshening up their calendar. Some of the names and concepts quickly died a death, including Breaking Point (submission-based matches), Bragging Rights (brand warfare back when brand warfare had long gone stale), and The Bash (Great American Bash, but less Great, and I guess still adequately American). Other names born that year that have endured to this day, including Hell in a Cell, TLC, and Extreme Rules.
On June 7 of that year, the inaugural Extreme Rules was held in New Orleans. If nothing else, the event was a little more noteworthy than other offerings from the company that year, thanks to some major World title changes, and a show-ending kinda-sorta heel turn that became a full-fledged heel turn shortly after. Also, there was a Hog Pen match - that's memorable, too.
So with 'The Horror Show' at Extreme Rules on the horizon, let's go ahead and wander back to the original event for a little retro examination, and see some of the goings-on that we've possibly long forgotten about.
5. The Event Replaced One Night Stand
The One Night Stand name was created for ECW's 2005 reunion event, and then brought back a year later for a second go-around in the same building. After ECW faded into its WWE-sanitized form in the latter half of 2006, the name continued on for a bit as a tri-branded offering.
Something seedy sounding like "One Night Stand" fit the grimier ECW motif, but had no viability as a WWE B-show. That didn't stop WWE from using the name in 2007 and 2008, before retiring it in favour of Extreme Rules, during the general calendar overhaul of 2009.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
