10 Worst WWE Feuds Of 2016

Titus O'Neil, you have much to answer for...

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WWE.com

Professional wrestling is nothing without rivalries. The sport revolves almost entirely around the age old battle between good and evil, with valiant babyfaces testing their mettle against corrupt, immoral heels. Great feuds and stories turn wrestling from a straightforward athletic spectacle to an engrossing form of dramatic entertainment, and without them, the sport wouldn't be half as popular as it is today.

Feuds give matches meaning, build superstars, and encourage investment by giving fans a reason to tune in every week. No rivalry illustrates this better than Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz, which has not only given us some great matches, but completely rebuilt two long-abandoned wrestlers from the ground up. Their heat had fans hinged on their every word and action, and without their feud, they'd still be treading water on the midcard.

A great feud usually sends its participants to the stratosphere, but a botched one can prove disastrous. WWE obviously like to keep the bulk of their roster locked into stroylines throughout the year, but for every Rock vs. Austin or Hogan vs. Piper, there's a DDP vs. Undertaker or Triple H vs. Steiner.

WWE have had a great year in terms of all-round match quality, but a number of 2016's feuds have left a lot to be desired. Some were doomed from the start, but others feature some of WWE's biggest stars, and 2016's graveyard of bad feuds makes for grim reading.

Here are the 10 worst WWE feuds of 2016.

10. Rusev Vs. Titus O'Neil

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WWE.com

The best thing that you can say about Titus O’Neil and Rusev’s United States Title feud is that it was mercifully short and presented the Bulgarian as a dominant champion. Having spent most of Spring beating Kalisto like a drum, Rusev moved into this program with Titus in late May, when Titus became the latest ineffectual lower-midcarder to take exception to Rusev’s dastardly antics, but he was doomed from the start.

The feud only lasted a couple of weeks, but it was a perfect example of how not to book a midcard title challenge. Titus came into the story incredibly cold: he’d never gotten over as a singles wrestler and has never experienced any kind of success against credible opposition, so the idea that he’d somehow present a threat to Rusev was laughable. You can’t get invested in a babyface’s challenge if you don’t believe in their abilities as a competitor, and Titus has done nothing to inspire such belief.

Furthermore, Titus entered the feud on the back of a 60-day suspension for grabbing Vince McMahon during Daniel Bryan’s retirement celebration. The whole feud felt like on-air punishment for Titus’ perceived transgressions, particularly when Rusev beat him down in front of his son (take that, Dad of the Year), and by the time Rusev beat Titus for the last time on July 4th, nothing had been accomplished.

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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.