World Wrestling Entertainment is set to go extreme when “Extreme Rules” takes place on April 26 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

It’s the one time all year where a majority of the matches on a pay-per-view card feature some sort of hardcore, over-the-top stipulation.

The days of bloodshed, chair shots to the skull and barbed wire are long gone. No matter, though. Fans don’t need to see their favorite superstars beat the pulp out of each other with weapons to be entertained for three hours.

Based on WWE’s booking since WrestleMania 31, here’s a look at eight bouts that could realistically make up the 2015 “Extreme Rules” card:

 

(Extreme Rules): Luke Harper vs. Dean Ambrose

Now we’re talking.

Luke Harper delivered a powerbomb to Dean Ambrose through the announce table this past Thursday on “Smackdown.” Was that the start of something special or simply Harper following the orders of Director of Operations Kane?

I hope it’s the former. Harper and Ambrose both have a physical, rough-and-tough style that would be a match made in heaven for “Extreme Rules.”

 

(Tag Team Tables Match): Roman Reigns & Ryback vs. Big Show & Kane

What else is there to do with Roman Reigns at this point?

The reactions he’s been getting on a weekly basis prove that the WWE Universe isn’t ready to buy into him as the No. 1 face in the company. Booking him against Kane and Big Show, who are notorious for the lack of reaction they get, is a precautionary measure to see if something can be made from nothing.

Ryback has been lost in the shuffle, but it looks like WWE is ready to get him back in the spotlight once again. A Tables match varies from the prototypical “Extreme Rules,” but this could wind up being anything. It definitely needs a stipulation for reluctant fans to be invested.

 

WWE Divas Championship: Nikki Bella (c) vs. Naomi

Former Funkadactyl Naomi is on quite the hot streak at the moment.

She pinned WWE Divas Champion Nikki on “Raw,” then followed that up with a pinfall victory over Natalya on “Smackdown.”

Why Paige isn’t involved is beyond me, but I suppose Naomi would be a fresher opponent for Nikki in a Divas division that’s earning more and more credibility by the week.

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship (Fatal 4-Way): Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett

Yep. The WWE Intercontinental Championship definitely feels important now.

Daniel Bryan is so popular with the WWE Universe that he could feasibly main event television for weeks on end and no one would ever question it. The Intercontinental title picture is insanely loaded with top-notch challengers ready to swoop in and dethrone Bryan, so there’s always going to be something fresh and exciting to conjure up.

Sheamus is the returning heel, Bad News Barrett is the former champion and Dolph Ziggler has just as many supporters as the leader of the YES! movement. This has “Match of the Night” written all over it.

 

WWE Tag Team Championship: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (c) vs. The Lucha Dragons

The Usos are battling injuries, The New Day can’t seem to get over and Los Matadores are……..Los Matadores.

The debut of The Lucha Dragons (Kalisto and Sin Cara) this past Monday night on “Raw” was sorely needed for the tag team division. The post-WrestleMania crowd was thoroughly entertained by the high-flying acrobatics of the former NXT champions, leading one to believe that they’ll be next in line for a title shot from Tyson Kidd and Cesaro.

It may be too soon to push them into the title picture, but with so few challengers at the moment, WWE may not have a choice.

 

The Miz vs. Damien Mizdow

It’s about damn time, right?

This mid-card feud, if you can even call it that, has been one of WWE’s strongest for quite a while. It was only at WrestleMania 31 in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal that Mizdow “officially” turned on Miz, but those two have been teasing tension for months.

My biggest concern is what becomes of Mizdow following this match. Do they continue their program at the next pay-per-view? Does he fall into obscurity like Alex Riley did after his feud with Miz? I hope not.

 

WWE United States Championship (Flag Match): John Cena (c) vs. Rusev

A Flag match is about the least “Extreme” stipulation you can think of, but it makes perfect sense for this match with the way flags were strongly emphasized on “Smackdown.”

The whole “USA vs. Russia” storyline may be played out, but can you really blame WWE for continuing down this path with John Cena? It’s more difficult for “smart” fans to boo the United States Champion when he continuously praises the red, white and blue. That doesn’t mean they won’t try, though.

I expect Rusev to win back the gold at the end of the month, seeing how Cena really only needed the win at WrestleMania 31 and not much else.

 

WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Extreme Rules): Seth Rollins (c) vs. Randy Orton

Kudos to WWE for going the logical route of having “The Viper” challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship instead of Reigns.

It was Randy Orton who emerged victorious against Seth Rollins at Levi’s Stadium, hours before the former Shield member cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win the title.

Their WrestleMania 31 encounter was arguably the best match on the entire card. This is the safest main event possible without the involvement of “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar.

 

Christopher Walder is a staff writer for WrestlingRumors.net. He’s also a contracted Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and blogger for RaptorsHQ.com at SB Nation. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.