Discussing Who Should Win the IC Title at Extreme Rules

This Sunday, at WWE Extreme Rules 2016, the IC title will be defended in a Fatal 4-Way match, featuring Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Cesaro and the Miz. This is arguably the best developed feud on the card for the PPV. The WWE’s done an incredibly good job at giving each competitor a nearly equal amount of momentum. However, that doesn’t stop us from guessing who’s got the best chances of becoming an IC Champion on Sunday. Let’s look at each of the four superstars and decide who’s most likely to take the IC Title home after Extreme Rules.

Cesaro

The Swiss Superman might be the one guy who suffered from the Fatal 4-Way storyline. Overall, he’s been protected in terms of losses and he’s been given plenty of time to show off his impressive in-ring skills. However, his mic time decreased drastically.

When it was only about the Miz and Cesaro, things were different. The Swiss Superman played along with Miz’ Hollywood gimmick. He adopted a Bond-like image and pulled out an outrageous suit, made for stripping. But above all, the fans, who generally love Cesaro, were ecstatic to see him unleash his sarcastic sense of humour on the Miz.

The criticism that Cesaro suffered has never been about his in-ring ability. It’s always been his supposed lack of character. One-on-one with the Miz, he had the opportunity to showcase his personality. Here, with Zayn and particularly with the outspoken Kevin Owens involved, Cesaro’s been once again muted.

He’d benefit from having the IC Title because it would put the spotlight on him. It would allow him to open up and deliver on the mic. However, the current booking doesn’t indicate a victory for Cesaro. The WWE’s more likely to build up a character and then give him a championship, not the other way round.

Sami Zayn

When it comes to fan favorites, Sami Zayn takes the crown. If he wins the IC title this Sunday, it would bring a common feeling of victory to the entire WWE Universe.

Sami’s the epitome of an underdog. He came from the indies and struggled to get to the top on NXT. He was always close but always coming up short. His best friend stabbed him in the back at his happiest moment and then robbed him of all that he had worked for. He got sidelined by in injury the moment he was given an opening to join the main roster. Once he was back, he had found himself demoted to NXT again and had to struggle back up, only to find himself put down by his former best friend once again. And through all of that Sami Zayn always remained a nice, friendly, respectful guy. A victory at Extreme Rules and an IC Title reign would be well deserved, to say the least.

However, there must be a reason why Sami’s always hit a glass ceiling in the WWE. My guess would be that it’s the same issue Cesaro has – the WWE wonder if Zayn’s character is strong enough to carry the duty of a champion on the mic. For example, this week on SmackDown, Sami was on commentary alongside the Miz. Zayn barely said a word and the A-lister challenged him on that at one point. Given the same amount of mic time, KO and the Miz won’t stop making comments. It comes naturally to them but Sami struggled.

It would be a true feel-good moment if Zayn was to win the IC Title on Sunday but his mic skills might reduce his chances significantly.

Kevin Owens

KO is, by far, the most entertaining guy in the Fatal 4-Way. He’s not only greatly skilled in the ring but he’s also a great talker. When it comes to mic work, Owens is just on a different level. He always makes comments at the right time. Even when he’s wrestling, he still won’t shut up. He trash talks his opponent and feuds with the commentators at the same time, while delivering quality wrestling in the ring. He’s simply a natural.

One could argue that KO has the edge in the overall feud. He seems to always outsmart his opponents and leave as the winner. The last show before the PPV was another victory for Owens. He took advantage of the chain of distractions he had caused and got the pin. Not only that, but he also escaped the brawl that followed and just laughed as he watched his opponents take each other out.

However, one should always consider the “winner of the last show always loses at the PPV” rule. It might sound way too stereotypical but there is a reason to it. Owens would be the guy you’d expect to win because he left us all with the impression that he can’t be beaten. That’s exactly why the IC Title might go to someone else, just to avoid predictability.

The Miz

The Miz might not be on the same wrestling skills level as the other three competitors but he’s good enough in the ring to be a champion. His strongest suit is his character. The Miz might be one of the best developed heels in the WWE at the moment.

The Miz works his annoying A-lister role to perfection. He can get the crowd to boo him at any moment. He turns and twists information to suit his needs. Cesaro uses the Skull Crushing Finale on him? Of course it’s a positive! It means the Swiss Superman wants to imitate the Miz. Everyone wants to be the Miz! Coming up with something so ridiculous and confidently making it sound plausible is a talent. The Miz has that entertainment talent in abundance. That makes him a great champion.

The problem with the Miz is that the WWE always books him as a loser. He isn’t particularly credible because he very rarely wins anything without cheating and every time he’s in a physical exchange during a segment, he ends up beaten. That, however, can easily be changed. A few brawls where he gets the upper hand and his credibility will be back up.

The Miz’ trump card is Maryse. I’d be surprised if the WWE brought this legendary diva for nothing. If the Miz loses the IC title on Sunday, he’s bound to fall back to the bottom of the midcard. It would be pointless for Maryse to be paid to be there if her husband won’t be needed in the spotlight. Miz needs the IC title more than anyone else in the match.

Conclusion

The IC title match will be a close call, for sure.  If Cesaro won, it would be a surprise. If Sami won, it would satisfy the fans.  But if Kevin Owens won, he’d do the best job of being the IC Champion. Yet, it’s most likely that the Miz will end up retaining his IC title.

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised