WWE Extreme Rules 2016 Results: Power Ranking Every Match at PPV

WWE's annual trip into the extreme brought fans a mixture of matches, ranging from the outright poor to the probable best of the year.

Extreme Rules 2016 was a real mixed bag from start to finish, with some controversial endings in a few of the bouts. Some of them set up a compelling future, with others leaving the stars on the wrong end of the surprises looking weak moving forward.

With a vast array of stipulations and championships on the line, the pay-per-view promised fans plenty and only occasionally delivered.

With all seven of the main-show matches considered, here's a ranking of Extreme Rules 2016's bouts, from best to worst.

7. The Usos vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

We start right at the beginning of the night, with a match that didn't kick Extreme Rules off with the required bang.

WWE's haphazard booking of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson heading into this bout meant the momentum they had picked up was simply minimal. 

That meant there was little interest about whether they could continue a potential hot run and more intrigue about how both teams would inevitably get involved in the main event.

There were decent flashes, particularly when we finally got a glimpse of Gallows and Anderson how they should have been portrayed all along: a magnificent duo capable of hurting opponents.

With AJ Styles' loss in the main event and a win here for Gallows and Anderson, that should be the catalyst for the trio to set off on a wave of destruction, leaving The Usos behind. 

6. Charlotte vs. Natalya

Credit: WWE.com

It seems harsh to rank this so low as, for the most part at least, Charlotte and Natalya were on their way to writing a compelling and intriguing match.

But yet again, WWE couldn't resist the opportunity to meddle with a fine match, having more controversy overshadow the actual in-ring content.

Quite what bringing Dana Brooke into the mix here did is anyone's guess, although you would imagine she'll now set her sights on Natalya. 

But having closed the go-home edition of Raw, this match simply didn't live up to the expectations of WWE fans.

And more poor booking did little to enhance Charlotte's credibility as champion.

5. Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho

Make no mistake about it, this was another bout that didn't quite live up to the hype.

Dean Ambrose's latest run has been mystifying to say the least, and with Chris Jericho likely to take time off, The Lunatic Fringe looks for a new opponent in something of a state of limbo.

Two straight wins on pay-per-view is uncharted territory for Dean, but the company's inaugural Asylum Match didn't go off with a bang.

Until the moment Ambrose finally dropped Jericho onto the thumbtacks, the match was pretty slow and clunky throughout.

Only when Ambrose did that to signal the closing stages did things pick up.

4. Kalisto vs. Rusev

Credit: WWE.com

This match may not have had the back and forth of some of the night's better bouts, but it was a fantastic piece of booking to elevate the standing of Rusev.

Someone has to suffer when that happens in professional wrestling, and here it was Kalisto. He was the victim throughout almost the entirety of the match thanks to Rusev's sheer aggression and dominance.

But the bout was interesting to watch, as it looks like WWE is beginning to understand what to do with a guy such as Rusev.

He should be booked as an unstoppable machine, someone few people would could beat.

This was a solid-enough addition to the card, and the devastating finish from Rusev made things even more watchable.

3. The New Day vs. The Vaudevillains

One fear heading into this match was whether The Vaudevillains had it in them to cope with the top end of WWE's tag division, but they produced arguably their best performance on the main roster to date.

It was an entertaining match between The New Day and The Vaudevillains, and perhaps more importantly, the correct team emerged victorious.

The New Day's victory was the best thing for business, with Aiden English and Simon Gotch likely to come back and ask for another shot at the tag team straps.

With Xavier Woods also standing out given he's not quite as active in the ring as Big E and Kofi Kingston, this felt like a decent night for the tag division.

The experience The Vaudevillains picked up here will stand them in good stead for what lies ahead. 

2. Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles

Extreme Rules' main event brought a compelling bout that more than lived up to the name of the show.

There were multiple occasions when both AJ Styles and Roman Reigns jumped the aggression up a notch, all of which made for a fine spectacle to close the show.

The inevitable interferences from The Club and The Usos didn't hamper the flow too much, either. They were out of the action for just about long enough to let the spotlight remain on the two men competing for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Reigns in particular seems to excel when the stakes are high and the rules are loosened. He pulled off some fine moments both and in and out of the ring, with the action spilling across most parts of the arena.

Yes, there was some disappointment with Reigns going over once again, leaving Styles somewhat in limbo. But the explosive return of Seth Rollins following the contest helped to close the show with a real bang.

In terms of the action itself, both Styles and Reigns deserve credit for a fine main event.

1. The Miz vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

There's little doubt which was the night's standout match, and if WWE produces a main-roster match as compelling as this one over the rest of the year, the company will be in fine shape indeed.

What was not to like here? The agility and effervescent style with which Sami Zayn wrestles is a joy to behold. The crowd have bought into his transition to the main roster, and he looks set for a bright future with the company.

Cesaro's return goes from strength to strength, and although he came up short again here, some of the best moments in the match involved The Swiss Superman, with that lengthy swing a particular highlight. 

Then there is Kevin Owens, who continues to look like the best heel in the entire company. He's ruthless, talks a great game and, as we all know, is surprisingly agile on his feet.

The back-and-forth nature of the Fatal 4-Way allowed each man to bring his best, taking breaks between spots to allow the other competitors to deliver.

Finally, The Miz deserves credit for bringing a fine performance to the party too. He's growing into a great champion, and his sneaky win to close out a certain Match of the Year candidate hints this feud may not be over yet.