WWE Extreme Rules 2016 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights

WWE Extreme Rules 2016's high points were powerful enough to wash away the memories of its sluggish, silly and soporific bouts. 

At its best, the pay-per-view was an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. The Miz fended off Sami Zayn, Cesaro and Kevin Owens in a Match of the Year candidate that needed no extreme stipulation to steal the show. Roman Reigns and AJ Styles composed quite the sequel to their Payback bout, living up to the PPV's promise of big-time violence in the process.

For the most part, those two contests were the only reasons to tune in. The rest of the Extreme Rules card was marred by poor booking.

Ric Flair still managed to get involved in the women's title match despite being banned from ringside. Someone cleared the idea of Colin Cassady listing off types of food. And Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho was a train wreck that wrecked each man's body.

The following is a look at the hugely uneven show, breaking down what worked and what flopped, complete with highlights and letter grades.

The Dudley Boyz Clash with Colin Cassady

The Dudley Boyz berated the fans, plugged the WWE Network and took credit for ECW's demise. Bubba Ray trashed the Superstars of the so-called "new era."

Colin Cassady came out and mocked The Dudley Boyz, talking about how much they eat. That led to a brawl between the three men. Big Cass came out the winner, pushing around the two heels.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• D-Von: "What would an Extreme Rules pay-per-view be without The Dudley Boyz?"
• Bubba Ray: "Can we please get out of stinking New Jersey?"

Grade

D

Analysis

Cassady continues to have too corny of a routine. Enzo Amore has the charisma to pull off a scene where he just lists types of food, but it doesn't have nearly the same impact with Cassady at the helm. The big man needs Amore back in a big way.

But from a fighting standpoint, it doesn't look like he needs his partner.

Cassady overpowering The Dudley Boyz by himself makes the idea of a tag team match between these squads less desirable. A beatdown by the heels would have served the feud far better.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin (No Disqualification)

Disrespected by Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler went on the attack in a hurry, stunning the bigger man with a a flurry of strikes. Then came the decimation. The Lone Wolf pounded on Ziggler with a focus on his right arm.

Ziggler fought back thanks to his speed, but eventually Corbin overwhelmed the fan favorite. 

A low blow stunned The Showoff. End of Days ended the bout.

Result

Corbin wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Corbin to Ziggler: "You should have stayed home."
• Ziggler hits a Tornado DDT to counter one of Corbin's power moves.

Grade

D+

Analysis

Only when Corbin hit Ziggler's family jewels did the matchup take advantage of the lack of disqualification. There was nothing extreme about this. It was simply another chapter in an underwhelming feud.

The clash had some good moments and solid chemistry. It felt like something one might see on SmackDown, though, rather than a PPV rubber match.

WWE would have been better off just having Corbin destroy Ziggler in a nasty brawl. Blandness ruled instead.

The Usos vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (Tornado Tag Match)

The bout opened with a brawl that left each man writhing on the floor outside the ring.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson teamed up to beat up on Jey Uso while keeping Jimmy Uso at bay. The action continued to remain high-impact, even when the pace slowed and the intensity of the fight took its toll. 

Jimmy landed on a ring bell, leaving him vulnerable to the Magic Killer from the heels.

Result

Gallows and Anderson win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Gallows and Anderson kick Jey into the guardrail.

Grade

C+

Analysis

In the beginning, Gallows and Anderson looked like the beasts they should have been all along. They overpowered The Usos, leaving them hurting.

To truly get Extreme Rules kicked off right, this match should have gone on far longer. There weren't enough highlights, leaving it feeling incomplete. The momentum was just beginning to swell when the finish happened.

Kalisto vs. Rusev (United States Championship)

Rusev pounced on the United States champion, stomping and elbowing his way to dominance. Kalisto was in trouble early, struggling to escape from Rusev's grip.

It took a trip to the outside of the ring to have Kalisto briefly seize control. He smashed Rusev into the ring steps, stunning the monster.

After Rusev left Kalisto hurting on the ring apron, he pushed the referee aside, clamped on the Accolade and recaptured the United States Championship.

Result

Rusev wins via submission, becoming United States champ.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Rusev clubs Kalisto out of the air.
• Kalisto uses a hurricanrana to fling Rusev into the steel steps.
• Rusev slams Kalisto onto the ring apron.

Grade

B+

Analysis

A realistic match told the story of a predator tearing his prey apart and the hero being unable to continue his run of surviving his clashes with Goliaths. The action wasn't as exciting as Kalisto's battles with Ryback, but the narrative had more meaning.

This was all about making Rusev look beastly, and it worked extremely well.

Rusev exuded ferocity. He played his role even better than he did before he lost the title in 2014. His reign promises to rejuvenate his career.

The New Day vs. The Vaudevillains (Tag Team Championship)

During their pre-match promo, Xavier Woods invited fans to send him direct messages on Twitter, while Big E and Kofi Kingston mocked their opponents.

Kingston took Woods' usual spot as the team's manager while the rest of The New Day took on Simon Gotch and Aiden English. The Vaudevillains quickly gained the advantage, keeping Woods on the receiving end of their offense in their corner.

The Whirling Dervish wasn't enough to put away the champs. And when Kingston got involved behind the referee's back, the challengers didn't have a chance. Woods got the win to continue The New Day's reign.

Result

The New Day wins via pinfall to retain the tag team titles.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Big E: "Because we are in the Garden State, we are about to put two hoes in the ground."
• Gotch drives Big E into the ring steps. 
• Big E spears English off the ring apron.

Grade

B-

Analysis

A solid tag team match makes the idea of these two squads colliding in the future more appealing. This was the best Gotch and English have looked since arriving on the main roster.

Should this feud grow more intense and the story become more developed, the ensuing rematches promise to be strong. And having the champions retain was the logical move. Fans just don't know The Vaudevillains well enough yet for them to wear the belts.

On a side note, it's interesting that The New Day is holding on to its heel tactics, having Kingston get the titleholders an unfair win.

The Miz vs. Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn (Intercontinental Championship)

Sami Zayn ousted Kevin Owens. Cesaro removed The Miz from the ring, leaving Zayn and Cesaro to go at each other with their feet on the gas pedal. Moments later, Owens returned, taking out all three of his foes.

Momentum was hard to come by as the match unfolded. All four men pounced on one another, scoring a number of near-falls.

Cesaro forced The Miz to tap out with the Sharpshooter, but the referee was busy dealing with Maryse. Owens power-bombed Cesaro, but The Miz broke up the pin.

Zayn and Owens soon got so involved in their own bad blood that they left the door open for The Miz to steal a pin on Cesaro.

Result

The Miz wins via pinfall, retaining the Intercontinental Championship.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Zayn blasts Owens with a Helluva Kick as soon as the opening bell rings. 
• Owens: "It's my title!"
• Cesaro power-bombs his opponents as part of a Tower of Doom spot. 
• Cesaro suplexes both Miz and Zayn.
• Owens splashes The Miz while Cesaro was holding him up near the ring ropes.
• Crowd chants, "This is awesome!"

Grade

A+

Analysis

A wild ride of a title match undoubtedly stole the show. False finishes, fiery opponents and a high-voltage energy powered a bout that exceeded even the highest end of expectations.

The announcers did an excellent job of weaving in the narrative of the Owens-vs.-Zayn feud. That provided an important subplot to give the contest depth. Each wrestler got to share the spotlight, with everyone looking great at some point.

And having The Miz survive here is a smart, smart move. Building up anticipation for his eventual title loss is the right way to go.

Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho (Asylum Match)

Chris Jericho tried to escape just seconds into the matchup, but the cage door was locked. Dean Ambrose then went to work, laying out Y2J with right hands.

The Lunatic Fringe snatched the mop from the top of the cage and proceeded to beat Jericho with it. Ambrose later clubbed Jericho with nunchucks. Jericho responded with a barrage of blows with a Kendo stick.

The two foes took turns whipping each other with a leather strap. They then took to attacking each other with a fire extinguisher and a straitjacket.

Ambrose spilled thumbtacks onto the mat. Eventually, he slammed Jericho onto them, leaving the heel squealing. Dirty Deeds finished things off.

Result

Ambrose wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Ambrose pokes Jericho in the ear with a mop.
• Jericho: "Come on, whipping boy!"
• Ambrose hits an elbow drop from the top of the cage.
• Jericho hits Ambrose with a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire.

Grade

D-

Analysis

The lasting image of Jericho punctured with thumb tacks was the only memorable thing about this clunker. This was painfully slow and not anywhere near as savage as the announcers tried to make it sound.

Most of the weapon spots were silly. This was a worse version of Shane McMahon vs. Undertaker, one where the risks weren't worth what it led to.

Rather than give Ambrose momentum, this bout sets him back. The stink will take a long time to go away. His red-hot stretch during which he battled Brock Lesnar and Triple H now seems like a distant memory.

Charlotte vs. Natalya (Submission Match for Women's Championship)

Both Charlotte and Natalya went for submission holds early to no avail.

Outside the ring, Natalya rammed Charlotte's left arm into the ring post, leaving the champion in pain. Natalya then focused on the injured body part. Charlotte remained in control for much of the bout nonetheless.

Dana Brooke came out dressed like Ric Flair. That provided enough of a distraction for Charlotte to use her trademark submission hold to get the win. Brooke then attacked the challenger after the match.

Result

Charlotte wins, retaining her Women's Championship.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Natalya: "Where's your dad now?"
• Charlotte power-bombs her way out of an armbar.
• Natalya flings Charlotte across the ring with a German suplex.

Grade

C-

Analysis

WWE just can't leave things alone with this rivalry. Rather than have the women tell a story on their own, the company once again reverted to making Ric Flair a primary figure and hurting the bout with over-booking.

Charlotte and Natalya looked well on their way to a solid outing. WWE Creative got too cute, though.

This should have been a satisfying climax and technical display, but instead the women's title match ended up being a bridge to a marginally interesting Brooke-Natalya feud.

What a miscalculation of what the audience wanted here.

Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles (Extreme Rules, WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Roman Reigns withstood AJ Styles' opening flurry and responded with smashmouth offense. The champ then went after his rival with a steel chair.

Styles soon moved the fight into the stands. 

When the foes returned to ringside, Styles ripped the protective padding off the floor, and Reigns left two of the commentary desks in ruin. Champion and challenger collided into each other several times over, leaving each other hurt and drained.

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows attacked Reigns, trying to score their comrade a win. The Usos charged out to even the odds. 

When the Styles Clash wasn't enough for the win, The Phenomenal One looked to hit the move onto a steel chair. Jimmy Uso saved his cousin from defeat, though.

Styles lost it, smashing everyone in sight with that same chair. But a Spear out of midair ended his championship dreams.

Seth Rollins rushed out and floored his old foe, much to the delight of the crowd.

Result

Reigns wins via pinfall, retaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Fans chant, "You can't wrestle!" and "Roman sucks!"
• Styles leaps off a glass table to hit a Phenomenal Forearm.
• Reigns throws Styles into an announce table. 
• Reigns swings Styles into the side of the ring and power-bombs him through a table.

Grade

A

Analysis

Much like at Payback, Reigns and Styles pulled off an engaging bout that didn't lead to the double-crosses or heel turns many fans expected. They delivered an intense, high-energy, dramatic showing once more.

Reigns received more than his usual backlash but was able to turn the crowd to a degree by the end of the bout. It's amazing that some folks are still pushing so hard against Reigns being in the spotlight rather than sitting back and enjoying the great strides he has made.

Styles' character progressed some here, his frustration leading to him unraveling at the end. WWE has to build on that, taking advantage of that inherently compelling shift.

As for Rollins' return, it provided an exclamation point on a quality main event. The move wisely segues into Reigns' next rivalry, leaving the audience excited about what's ahead.