10 Most Disappointing WWE Moments Of 2016

It wouldn't be a WWE calendar year without a few letdowns.

Triple H Wwe Champ
WWE.com

Whether you've enjoyed WWE's 2016 or not, there's no denying that it's been an eventful year for the company. Business might not be booming at the moment, but WWE haven't stood still, and while several long-standing problems remain, 2016 has been crammed with major talking points.

The new Brand Split stands alone as the year's biggest change, and while Raw has struggled to improve in its wake, there's no doubting the positive impact that splitting the roster has had on SmackDown. The blue brand has rarely looked stronger than it does today, and while the Split has had its critics, it's really paying dividends on Tuesday nights.

2016's other major events saw Charlotte and Sasha Banks spearhead the Women's Revolution's charge to stunning new heights, and Goldberg return to WWE and immediately become the biggest star in the business. It's not all positive, however, and the year also brought a Triple H World Championship reign, a huge ratings slump, and the downfall of a number of popular upper-midcard acts.

Some of these events have gone over well with the fans, but others? Not so much. As usual, 2016 has been peppered with as many letdowns as it has reasons to be cheerful, and WWE's inconsistencies have never been more apparent. The company have an uncanny knack of finding new ways to make their audience members question their fandom, and 2016 only exasperated the problem.

Whether self-inflicted or otherwise, here are WWE's 10 most disappointing moments of 2016.

10. Cruiserweight Omissions

tri h
WWE.com

Almost everything about WWE’s revived Cruiserweight Division has been extremely disappointing. For the most part, WWE have failed at bringing the Cruiserweight Classic’s magic to the mainstream, and those epic Match of the Year candidates between guys like Kota Ibushi, Cedric Alexander, and Gran Metalik seem like a world away. The Cruiserweight division has diluted everything that made the tournament special, and 205 Live’s debut offered few glimmers of hope.

Distilling the Cruiserweight Division’s failings into individual moments is difficult, but the omission of wrestlers like Neville and Kalisto sits near the top of the list. Neville looked like a readymade divisional star when its return was announced, but he’s barely been on television lately, and has never entered the division. He’s one of the company’s best all-round wrestlers and a guy who’d be an ideal figurehead for the Cruisers, yet he’s stuck at home.

Kalisto, meanwhile, was placed into a Cruiserweight Title match at Survivor Series that should’ve brought the division to SmackDown, but Baron Corbin put an end to that. He’s another talented WWE star who could be drawing eyes to 205 Live’s fledgling division, but he’s playing David to Corbin’s Goliath instead.

Their lack of involvement sums-up all that’s rotten with the Cruiserweight Division, which may already be beyond salvation.

In this post: 
Triple H
 
Posted On: 
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.