Ranking 2016's WWE PPV Endings From Worst To Best

10. Royal Rumble - Arise, King Of Kings

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns
WWE.com

The Royal Rumble is supposed to be one of the most exciting events of the wrestling year, but the past few shows have been hugely disappointing. Batista's victory in 2014 was met by universal rejection, as was Roman Reigns in 2015, and this year, WWE showed their hand too early. It was blindingly obvious that Triple H would swoop in and steal Reigns' WWE Championship during the event's titular match, and so it transpired.

Reigns was made to look like Superman throughout the match, and survived a beatdown from the League of Nations that should've kept him sidelined, but didn't. He returned to the ring to "overcome the odds" in typical WWE babyface fashion, and when Triple H's music hit at number 30, he was the only person in the building who was surprised.

WWE tried to build sympathy for Reigns when Triple H, his evil boss, chucked him from the ring, but Reigns' elimination actually garnered one of the year's biggest pops. Hunter might be one of the biggest heels of all-time, but almost everyone becomes a de facto babyface when working with Reigns, and this was proof.

No matter how you dress it up, however, the Royal Rumble concluded with an authority figure as WWE Champion. That's only acceptable from an "anyone but Roman" standpoint, and as The Game celebrated with Stephanie and Vince, the long, bumpy road to WrestleMania was set in stone.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.