13 Best WWE Matches Of 2016 (So Far)
Hundreds of matches in a handful of countries but these are the 13 best of WWE's 2016...so far.
Just six months in to 2016, World Wrestling Entertainment has delivered its fair share of outstanding in-ring product across several different platforms. Whether it is on Raw or SmackDown, a WWE Network exclusive broadcast or a major pay-per-view extravaganza, the company has put the right pieces in place to provide audiences with superb in-ring action.
Beginning at January's Royal Rumble and running through June 30, the company has been home to dramatic, enthralling examples of sports entertainment greatness, thanks to some of the most talented Superstars in the industry.
From championship clashes to personal grudge matches, these 13 matches have taken fans on emotional roller coaster rides defined the first-half of the year. Some were technical masterpieces, others were wild and chaotic brawls booked to settle issues between two elite competitors. Whatever the case may be, they captivated audiences and gave fans a taste of what WWE's New Era has in store for them going forward.
As WWE gears up for an explosive next six months including a brand extension guaranteed to change several of the Superstars involved in this list forever, relive the superb action that unfolded on televisions across the globe thus far in 2016.
13. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns Vs. AJ Styles - Extreme Rules
AJ Styles came just seconds away from capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback on May 1, proving his worth as a main event star in the biggest promotion in the sport. Both Shane and Stephanie McMahon agreed that Styles had more than earned a rematch and announced an Extreme Rules match between the competitors for the pay-per-view of the same name just a few weeks later.
Tensions were high as the Superstars took to the squared circle, their accomplices The Usos, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson almost guaranteed to get involved in the night's proceedings.
Styles bumped around the ringside area, taking two nasty bumps into announce tables. This, while nursing a back injury that some figured would threaten the quality of the match. It did not, as Styles and Reigns continued to demonstrate amazing chemistry. The nearfalls had fans speculating that, against all common sense, The Phenomenal One may actually pull out the victory.
Interference from Anderson, Gallows and The Usos did nothing to hurt the quality, instead playing into the storyline that had been established prior to the bout. It made sense and actually strengthened the product.
Reigns retained his title in the predictable finish, blasting Styles with a spear, but that did nothing to hamper the 22 minutes that preceded it. A war of attrition between two competitors determined to leave with the title, it was very much the type of hard-hitting, high-impact battle that the WrestleMania main event between Reigns and Triple H should have been.