10 Greatest Debut Years In WWE History
6. AJ Styles
Now that’s how you make an entrance. After years of speculation, the Phenomenal One finally appeared on WWE programming, stepping out at Royal Rumble 2016 to a rapturous reception. He showed off his skills, but took a fairly early bath.
It was steady away for Styles from there, but something was building. By spring, he had entered into a feud with John Cena felt absolutely right - the world traveller vs Mr WWE in a major angle. Styles racked up two wins on the trot, with their SummerSlam clash in particular an absolute banger.
It only got better from there, with Styles winning the WWE Championship from Dean Ambrose. This put him right up there with the shortest turnarounds from debut to champ, even if the reign itself wasn’t amazing.
How it ended, though, was something truly special. One year after starting his run, he renewed hostilities with Cena for one of the best matches of the modern era. Without so much as leaving the ring, the two put on an instant classic that managed to get every fan in the place screaming for Big Match John. A crowning achievement for a highly productive 12 months in Styles’ WWE career.