This remains the sole Extreme Rules show without any championship changes

History · Published 2 November 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the high-stakes world of professional wrestling, championships usually move. But in 2021, a unique shift occurred: despite five title defenses across two major brands, every single champion walked away with their gold intact. This anomaly marked a rare moment of stability in an event defined by chaos.

Occurring on 26 September at Columbus, Ohio's Nationwide Arena, the 2021 Extreme Rules show was a unique statistical anomaly for WWE. While the promotion typically uses these events to facilitate major title swaps, all five championships defended during this specific card remained with their respective holders. This included Roman Reigns retaining the SmackDown Universal Championship against "The Demon" Finn Bálor, and The Usos holding onto the SmackDown Tag Team titles against The Street Profits.

The event's logistics were as complex as its results. Originally slated for July 18 in San Jose, California, it faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was briefly moved to a bio-secure bubble in Tampa before being rescheduled to September to replace the canceled Clash of Champions. This move also marked the first time the event was held in September since its inception in 2009.

The branding of the night also saw a return to tradition. After the 2020 edition was titled "The Horror Show at Extreme Rules" due to thematic matches, the 2021 card reverted to the original name. Additionally, it marked a technical leap for the company as the debut livestreaming date on Peacock in the USA and SonyLIV in India after previous WWE Network versions ceased operations.

Despite the lack of title changes, the card was packed with scripted drama from the Raw and SmackDown brands. Matches ranged from triple threats involving Jeff Hardy and Sheamus to a no-contest finish between Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair caused by an ambush from Sasha Banks. While critics praised the main event and tag team action, some noted a lack of the hardcore-based matches that typically define the brand's identity.

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