2022 WWE Extreme Rules results, recap, grades: Bray Wyatt returns, Ronda Rousey

Look out: Bray Wyatt has returned. Following weeks of anticipation with mysterious teasers for the arrival of a “White Rabbit,” Wyatt is back in the realm he once ruled over by making his first appearance in more than a year in the closing moments of the 2022 WWE Extreme Rules premium live event on Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Wyatt, a former WWE and two-time universal champion, made his return to WWE about 19 months after being released on July 31, 2021. WWE closed out Extreme Rules with Wyatt’s ominous and theatrical comeback, which elicited a huge response from those in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center. His return came directly after a bad blood Fight Pit match between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins that notably featured UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier as the special guest referee.

Extreme Rules also featured the crowning of Ronda Rousey as SmackDown women’s champion, a number of hard-hitting matches and a visceral conclusion to the “I Quit” match between Finn Balor and Edge that should have fans talking over the weekend until Monday Night Raw in a couple days.

CBS Sports was with live throughout Extreme Rules with match results, grades and highlights as the action went down.

2022 WWE Extreme Rules results, grades

Dexter Lumis presented The Miz with an unsolicited birthday present: Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty repeatedly tried to bury the hatchet with Miz throughout the show by attempting to give him a T-shirt. The Miz rejected the offering over multiple segments. Outside of Triple H’s office before the end of the show, Miz put a beating on Gritty. Lumis, who has stalked Miz for weeks on Raw, emerged behind the trendsetter. Lumis choked Miz unconscious with Silence and helped Gritty to his feet as the mascot got a kick in for good measure.

The Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium (Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook): Ridge Holland showed off his absurd strength, carrying Ludwig Kaiser and Vinci on one shoulder each and delivering a back body drop. Holland’s success was short-lived as Kaiser and Vinci delivered the Imperial Bomb ringside. Sheamus earned his group some momentum by saving Butch from an extended beatdown. Sheamus dropped Kaiser and Vinci ringside before going toe-to-toe with GUNTHER. The Brutes put a fun twist on Sheamus’ trademark clubbing blows as all three members beat GUNTHER like a drum. Sheamus nearly scored the victory following a Brogue Kick on GUNTHER; however, Vinci executed a perfectly timed springboard splash to break the pinfall.

Sheamus locked in a follow-up Cloverleaf submission on GUNTHER, but Kaiser saved the day by snapping a shillelagh across Sheamus’ back. The six superstars’ efforts earned chants of “This is awesome!” from the crowd. Butch landed a stunning moonsault off a set of barrels ringside on Kaiser and Vinci. GUNTHER utilized Sheamus’ trademark shillelagh, the same weapon he used to beat Sheamus on SmackDown, to score a near fall. It was a cathartic moment when Sheamus finally got his revenge on GUNTHER by smacking him across the neck with the shillelagh. An inspired Butch and Holland laid into Kaiser and Vinci with the same weapons. The match’s closing moments saw Sheamus crash…