WWE No Mercy 2016 Matches: Booking Decisions That Must Be Made at PPV

SmackDown's early domination as the top brand in WWE looks set to continue Sunday with the return of No Mercy to the pay-per-view calendar.

However, for the show to be a success, the SmackDown writers have to do a few things to make sure it goes off with a bang. 

Whether it's at the bottom of the card or in the main event, here are the decisions that need to be made to ensure SmackDown continues to look strong at No Mercy and beyond.

Keep Alexa Bliss Looking Strong, Even If She Loses

It's fair to say one of the big success stories in the women's division on SmackDown has been the rise of Alexa Bliss.

From relatively nowhere, she has risen to the top of the division and looks like a legitimate threat to Becky Lynch and the SmackDown Women's Championship.

But even if she comes up short Sunday night, Bliss needs to look strong heading out of No Mercy.

With Nikki Bella likely to be feuding with Carmella, Lynch has few credible opponents moving forward beyond No Mercy.

Bliss is a future champion, and if she stays strong irrespective of Sunday's result, she'll be in a position to challenge again in the future. 

The Miz Retains the Intercontinental Championship

With Dolph Ziggler putting his career on the line, it's expected that he may survive at No Mercy and win the Intercontinental Championship.

But no amount of stipulations should halt the momentum of The Miz, who has to keep hold of the title heading out of Sunday night.

The outcome can unfold in such a way that Ziggler is screwed once again so that his career stays alive, with Daniel Bryan potentially stepping in.

But The Miz cannot lose. He's made the Intercontinental Championship prestigious and interesting again, and WWE should look to put him in a position where he challenges The Honky Tonk Man's record run with the belt.

It would be a shame to see Ziggler retire if that is what happens, but there's no way The Miz should drop a belt he has made his own once again.

AJ Styles Retains in Style

Speaking of making championship belts prestigious once again, step forward, AJ Styles and the WWE World Championship.

He's SmackDown's No. 1 talent, and the future is bright for the brand with The Phenomenal One holding its biggest prize.

Any talk of John Cena and title reign No. 16 has to go on the back burner for now. There's no way Styles should lose the belt anytime soon.

So him retaining at No Mercy seems like a straightforward decision, but how he does it will be crucial.

There should be no shenanigans of any kind and no controversial finish.

Styles has to show his worth as champion with a victory that leaves no doubt about his status as the company's biggest star.