50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble
10. 2016 Showed The Best & Worst Of WWE
His trigger finger wasn't anywhere near as itchy as it'd become a few years later, but Kevin Dunn needed a cuff on the ear for skipping AJ Styles' first ever company entrance so he could focus on Roman Reigns doing his best, 'Who the hell is that?!' face in 2016. That was the worst of WWE at the time. The best came when AJ got a strong half hour in the Rumble before being thrown out by Kevin Owens.
There was no shame in that, but there was shame in Dunn's production style favouring Vince's pet projects over somebody who was literally appearing in front of WWE fans for the first time. Surely that was more important than zooming in on Roman? Reigns was already a main-eventer, and he didn't need the extra cheese on his whopper. AJ did. He needed that attention and the rewards that come with it.
If one's being kind, he'd suggest that Dunn was harking back to Steve Austin's horrified facials when Bret Hart came out to face him in the '97 Rumble. That'd be stretching it. In reality, WWE likely prioritised Roman over AJ's debut. At least Styles' bow was one of the best Rumble debuts ever, and his in-ring performance allayed any fears about what post-TNA AJ in WWE would look like.
One year later, AJ was working John Cena for the WWE Title at the 2017 pay-per-view. Things panned out for him nicely, but good lord - would it have killed Dunn to let everyone bask in the atmosphere of a Style-ish arrival?