WWE Royal Rumble 2016 Results: Biggest Stars of the Night

The 2016 Royal Rumble is in the books. Whether or not you liked the outcome of the main event likely did not prevent you from enjoying the show as a whole.

Every match produced some great moments, two titles changed hands and we got to see some debuts, returns and surprises in the Royal Rumble match.

Plenty of people stood out during the show, but a handful of Superstars made bigger impacts than anyone else.

Damien Sandow

The Kickoff pre-show featured a forgettable and sloppy Fatal 4-Way tag team match, with the winners earning spots in the Royal Rumble, but the victors didn't even come close to getting the best reaction.

Within seconds of the bell, chants for Damien Sandow broke out in the crowd, with everyone happy to see him back in his classic robe, pink trunks and purple kneepads.

"

Ha ha ha. Thank you WWE Orlando! For the first time in my career I was entertained by a chant . Heeeeeey we want some Sandow. I laughed ol

— Damien Sandow (@TheDamienSandow) January 25, 2016"

The Intellectual Savior to the Masses is still popular with the WWE Universe despite being featured less in the last six months than almost anyone else on the roster. Even Ric Flair has had more screen time, and he's retired.

To get that kind of support has to give Sandow a confidence boost, and hopefully management will react to the fans' appreciation for Sandow by giving him a renewed push in the near future.

Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose

In what was quite possibly the best Last Man Standing match of all time, Dean Ambrose managed to retain his Intercontinental Championship over a game Kevin Owens.

These two men have been beating each other senseless for weeks, but they took it to a whole new level on Sunday when they used everything but the kitchen sink to punish each other.

The crowd was chanting obscenities and "This is awesome" throughout the contest, and both men fed off the enthusiasm that was echoing throughout the arena.

They went fast when they needed to and slowed things down to sell the violence they inflicted upon each other. They almost set the bar too high for the rest of the show.

The two matches that followed clearly showed how everyone was trying to match their intensity and brutality, but nobody came close.

If this bout isn't nominated for Match of the Year at the next Slammy Awards, it will be a crime. Let's hope neither of them ended up with injuries that will cause them to miss any shows.

Sasha Banks

After sitting on the sidelines for several weeks, Sasha Banks returned to show everyone that her main focus is pursuing the Divas Championship.

Following a great match between Becky Lynch and Charlotte, The Boss appeared to be reigniting her partnership with Charlotte from NXT.

However, Sasha took down the champ and put her in the Bank Statement before hoisting the title above her head and soaking in the applause from the crowd.

Banks has shown herself to be one of the best performers on the roster, not just among the Divas, but the entire company.

She has produced show-stealing matches in NXT with Charlotte, Bayley and Lynch, so we should be in store for more of the same as she chases her dream of becoming the Divas champion.

AJ Styles

After weeks of rumors and speculation, AJ Styles made his WWE debut in the Royal Rumble match. The WWE Universe welcomed him with open arms and several chants until he was eliminated after nearly 30 minutes in the ring.

The Phenomenal One made a big impact in his first appearance, and the ovation he received proves his years of hard work have garnered him a reputation as an incredible performer.

We got to see Styles mix it up with the likes of Chris Jericho and Sami Zayn, two people who qualify as dream opponents for him in a WWE ring.

The announcers acted like he was a big deal, acknowledging his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling but completely ignoring his long career in TNA.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens Monday on Raw when Styles gets a chance to address the WWE Universe. His first feud is going to be important in ensuring he doesn't blend into the background, so hopefully management pairs him with someone who is on his level.

Triple H

Whether you like the decision or not, Triple H is the new WWE world heavyweight champion after eliminating Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose to win the Royal Rumble.

The Game won his 14th title after an up-and-down Battle Royal. It looked like Reigns would retain after he reappeared following his decimation at the hands of The League of Nations, but it wasn't his night.

The crowd was clearly booing Reigns as he came out for the match, so anyone who won besides him was going to be cheered.

The finish was somewhat predictable, especially since four out of six members of the B/R expert panel predicted he would walk out with the title.

Now we head to Fastlane and eventually WrestleMania 32, where Reigns will likely get a rematch against Triple H in the main event.

What did you think of the 2016 Royal Rumble?

Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter, @BR_Doctor.