WWE Raw Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from May 16

Historic Greensboro, North Carolina, was host for the May 16 episode of Raw, one that set the stage for the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event, and Roman Reigns and AJ Styles emerged as the biggest co-winners of the night.

The build to their match at Sunday's event has been nothing short of extraordinary, a reminder that WWE Creative is still more than capable of delivering a compelling story when it wants. Reigns and Styles' chemistry, both in matches and other various segments, has been better than anyone could have imagined, while the involvement of The Usos and The Club has made for a layered storyline.

Credit: WWE.com

Monday night, weeks of frustration boiled over, as Styles finally showed the ruthless aggression he will need to bring to Newark, New Jersey, with him this weekend in order to dethrone Reigns. He attacked the WWE world heavyweight champion with a steel chair before put an exclamation point on the assault with a Styles Clash onto the same chair.

While The Phenomenal One was the last man standing, it was both Superstars who excelled at putting the final touches on their story and left fans salivating at the opportunity to watch them wage war at Extreme Rules in a match bearing the same name.

The champion and his top contender were not the only winners from the May 16 episode of Raw.

There was an unstoppable Bulgarian Brute and a female newcomer who scored a huge upset victory.

Then there were the biggest losers of the night, a new tag team preceded by numerous vignettes but greeted by apathy.

Winner: Rusev

Credit: WWE.com

For the first time since his undefeated run, Rusev looked like an oppressive force, as he mercilessly beat Sin Cara backstage and at ringside, sending a message to United States champion Kalisto while simultaneously providing the distraction that would prove to be the masked luchador's downfall.

After his former League of Nations teammate Alberto Del Rio scored the pinfall victory over the champion, Rusev picked up the scraps, delivering a sick side kick to the back of the head then punishing Kalisto with the most visually impressive Accolade the WWE Universe has ever seen.

Somewhere along the line, Rusev became another generic foreign heel in a crowd of them, the third-most important member of the doomed League faction. After he lost all credibility with fans during his brief stint in that role, it is reassuring to see WWE Creative take the steps necessary to redevelop the super athlete's edge as he climbs back into championship status and, more importantly, relevance.

Losers: The Shining Stars

Credit: WWE.com

Speaking of relevance, Primo and Epico have not experienced much of it over the course of their career as a tag team. Whether they were the generic duo overshadowed by Rosa Mendes, or Los Matadores overshadowed by El Torito, they have a long history of failed pushes and repackaging.

Monday night, the WWE Universe was greeted to the latest incarnation of the team, dubbed "The Shining Stars," in an attempt to convince the audience that this is not the same team they have greeted with complete silence countless times before.

No talk of Puerto Rico or trifecta of different suplexes by Primo could change the fact the gimmick went over as well as a fart in church. Fans did not respond, and for what feels like the hundredth time, Primo and Epico were left to fail miserably in front of thousands in Greensboro and millions watching around the world.

An inauspicious start, to say the least.

Winner: Dana Brooke

Credit: WWE.com

While Primo and Epico struggled, Dana Brooke made the most of her opportunity, as she squared off with Becky Lynch in singles competition. There is no denying that, aside from Eva Marie and Lana, Brooke may be the least experienced woman in WWE. But she does the little things well and has a character that is easy to detest, something that will carry her a long way on the main roster while her in-ring game catches up.

Monday night, she scored a big upset win over Lynch and did so clean, not resorting to the type of cheating that is usually booked for WWE heels.

Sure, her timing was just a bit off, and her offense was still fairly generic, but Brooke never appeared out of place. A wrestler who has the performance aspect of the industry down and enough raw athleticism to get her by for now, she has the potential to become a huge star in the women's division for years to come.

Strong booking, including clean victories over one of the best wrestlers in the industry, will only help.