WWE Backlash 2016 Results: Biggest Winners and Losers from Marquee Event

Just nine months after a stunning debut at the Royal Rumble and three weeks after defeating John Cena clean in the center of the ring at SummerSlam, AJ Styles beat Dean Ambrose to become the new WWE world champion and the biggest winner of WWE Backlash 2016.

Some will argue that the low blow he dealt The Lunatic Fringe was a weak way to crown him, but it made sense within the context of the story told heading into the show. More importantly, it reminded fans that, though they cheered him throughout the majority of Sunday's match, he is still a heel and will do whatever it takes to win.

Styles' victory is the culmination of a whirlwind 2016.

The Rumble debut, the series against Chris Jericho, the main event run with Roman Reigns and the clean win over Cena represent one of the best nine-month stretches by any wrestler in modern times. The fact that Styles accomplished all of that despite not being a Vince McMahon project is even more impressive. Raised to stardom through TNA, his journey to WWE World Championship gold is one of the most unlikely in company history.

On top of it all, the match with Ambrose was a brilliant one that built steadily throughout before climaxing with an electric finish that left the audience raining down on the new champion with cheers and chants of "You deserve it!" to close out the show.

Winner: Heath Slater

Credit: WWE.com

The One Man Rock Band returned to relevance at Backlash, teaming with Rhyno to become the first SmackDown tag team champions.

For the Slater character, it was the culmination of a story that has seen him beg, plead, scratch and claw for a contract with either Raw or SmackDown. For the man behind the gimmick, it was an incredibly rewarding moment.

Over the course of four years, he was everyone's favorite tackling dummy. He worked live events, television and pay-per-views, often getting the hell kicked out of him but never whining or complaining about it on Twitter.

Instead, he continued to work hard and do as he was asked, and Sunday night, his patience paid off with a championship win that also earned him a spot on the SmackDown roster.

How long he and Rhyno hold on to those titles—and whether he can sustain his momentum at this point—remains to be seen, but for now, he should cherish the moment he had Sunday at Backlash because not everyone has that opportunity.

Loser: Apollo Crews

Credit: WWE.com

Despite being one of the most hyped draft picks for SmackDown, Apollo Crews has been lost in the shuffle, directionless as he embarks on his career with the blue brand. He has been reduced to a babyface whose focus is on everyone getting his name right rather than winning matches.

Sunday night, he was not only deemed not good enough for the Backlash pay-per-view, but he also lost a pre-show match to Baron Corbin clean in the center of the ring.

That is not promising at all for Crews, who has the raw ability to be a star but needs a personality and a reason for fans to care. Stat.

He still has the potential to become a major star for the SmackDown brand, but with every passing week comes another wasted opportunity.

Winner: Becky Lynch

Credit: WWE.com

Since her main roster debut back in July 2015, Becky Lynch has been the understated member of the Women's Revolution. She has always been in the mix, but she has never been the favorite to beat out Sasha Banks or Charlotte for the Women's Championship. She was always the runner-up but never the winner.

Then she was drafted to SmackDown, the first female selected to join the brand, and immediately took center stage. The revelation that the show would also debut its own Women's Championship left many hoping the hardworking Lass Kicker would receive the nod from management she was denied for so long.

Sunday night, she trapped Carmella in the Dis-arm-her, forced a tapout and captured the title, etching her name in the history books.

Chants of "You deserve it!" filled the arena, with the fans' appreciation for Lynch and everything she has accomplished between the ropes apparent in that moment.

Now the face of SmackDown's women's division, it remains to be seen who Lynch finds herself at war with. Could it be the other big winner from that match?

Winner: Alexa Bliss

The former NXT standout captured the attention of the fans with her homage to Harley Quinn Sunday night but maintained it with a stellar in-ring performance that saw her carry the workload throughout the first half of the match.

Bliss was excellent, using the facial expressions and body language she has perfected to get the story across while proving herself a better worker than recent SmackDown matches would suggest.

She seized the moment, made it her own and left fans intrigued by the performer she has become. Now it is up to her to build on that momentum and for WWE Creative to recognize that it has a future star on its hands.