Extreme Rules 2017 Neville v Austin Aries

Austin Aries is hoping that the third time is the charm, as he again has the opportunity to dethrone Neville and claim the WWE Cruiserweight Championship at WWE Extreme Rules in a Submission Match.

The rivalry between Neville and Aries began when A-Double returned from injury – clubbing The King of the Cruiserweights with a microphone and making his intentions to win the title clear. This altercation led to their first meeting at WrestleMania 33, and it was the closest Neville has come to losing his coveted championship. That victory did not come without controversy, as The King of the Cruiserweights attacked his opponent’s surgically repaired eye socket to secure the win.

Refusing to accept defeat, Aries won a Fatal 4-Way Match on the first WWE 205 Live after The Ultimate Thrill Ride to earn another opportunity for the Crusierweight Championship at WWE Payback. With his focus squarely on ending Neville’s reign and proving that only he is on the A-Double level, Aries once again gave The King of the Cruiserweights the fight of his life.

The battle at WWE Payback was intense, and Aries once again took the fight to his opponent, leaving Neville desperate to maintain possession of the championship. With The Last Chancery locked in and victory within A-Double’s grasp, Neville grabbed the official and was disqualified. Although Neville lost the match, he still retained the title.

At WWE Extreme Rules, Aries will have another chance to claim the championship and defeat his nemesis once and for all. However, there’s a caveat. Since WWE Payback, Neville has used his new ally TJP – who has his own machinations to reclaim the title – to weaken Aries. Repeatedly targeting and injuring Aries’ knee, TJP may have given Neville the advantage he needs to decisively defeat A-Double.