WWE No Mercy 2016 Results: Power Ranking Every Match at PPV

A combination of stellar bouts and matches that felt more at home on a regular edition of SmackDown left No Mercy looking like somewhat of a mixed bag.

There were real highlights, including some of the night's major championship matches, as SmackDown's creative storytelling continues to earn deserved plaudits.

But elsewhere, there were matches that didn't really live up to the hype of No Mercy as a whole.

With that in mind, it made things slightly easier when it came to ranking all seven matches on the main card.

Some thrived; others struggled to survive. Here's a rundown in full.

7. Baron Corbin vs. Jack Swagger

Unfortunately, a couple of matches at No Mercy did have the feel of uninteresting, regular bouts you could see every Tuesday night.

This was one of them.

Baron Corbin's direction looks increasingly clouded, and a feud with Jack Swagger will do little to enhance his momentum.

But the biggest problem here? The finish. Sure, it was interesting to see another controversy involving a rope break, but it didn't really fit on pay-per-view.

It may well extend their rivalry, but in a match that didn't really whet the appetite of WWE fans, it all felt a bit flat.

Hopefully the stakes are raised between these two in the coming weeks.

6. Naomi vs. Alexa Bliss

With Becky Lynch out of action, this felt like a night to really enhance Alexa Bliss' standing as the best of the rest when it comes to the SmackDown women.

Instead, she was forced to lose live on pay-per-view, a result which does nothing for her title credentials.

She will still get her shot when Lynch returns, but surely a smarter plan would have been to make Bliss look untouchable between now and then.

Matches with little planning are often shown up in brutal fashion when surrounded by other stellar bouts on a card. This was no exception.

It didn't have any real place on the card, and the result was a real disappointment.

5. Nikki Bella vs. Carmella

With Becky Lynch unable to compete, the spotlight fell on Nikki Bella and Carmella to head up the women's division action.

Alexa Bliss' hastily arranged match against Naomi was also on the card, but this was the better of the two matches on the night.

The simple reason for that is due to the depth of storyline Bella and Carmella have behind them.

Bliss' match failed to captivate the imagination, but this feud, especially with Nikki winning, should keep it healthy and interesting moving forward.

The in-ring action was patchy, and there were a couple of spots which Carmella will care to forget.

But it flowed well, and the rivalry between these two shows no sign of slowing down. That can only be a good thing for the division as a whole.

4. Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. the Usos

Handily placed in the middle of this list is the sole tag match on the main card.

The Usos' recent run strongly hinted that they were ready to claim the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, but victory for Heath Slater and Rhyno added to the feel-good factor surrounding the duo.

Slater is really thriving in the increased spotlight at the moment, and he showed his worth throughout the majority of the match with a strong performance. In his corner, Rhyno also provides great entertainment when introduced via a hot tag.

Jimmy and Jey not only look like good heels, but they work like them, too. It's great to watch them in the ring, and yet again, they looked the part.

Solid in-ring action, without being spectacular, and a finish that will send fans home happy. It was a solid addition to the card on a night where other matches felt more belonging of a regular SmackDown show.

3. Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

The show's main event did fall short in terms of being as good as the two other big matches on the card, but it was still a decent effort from both.

The biggest positive was undoubtedly the win for Bray Wyatt, something which, in terms of a pay-per-view, has been well overdue. 

The chemistry between these two guys hasn't been inch-perfect throughout, but on this occasion, it was helped by the dramatic return of Luke Harper in the closing stages of the match.

It's been an unpredictable and entertaining feud in terms of what has happened away from the ring, but the challenge for WWE now is to bring that energy inside the squared circle. 

2. AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose

Going on first made for an interesting pre-match dynamic, but the bout certainly delivered on the night.

In the end, it was tough to split the top two matches on this list, but the storytelling in the evening's top bout just shaded out this Triple Threat for the WWE World Championship.

In terms of in-ring flow, this bout was sheer brilliance. 

All three guys had their moments, making nobody look weak when the final bell rang. It leaves all three handily placed moving forward.

The result also felt right too. Giving Cena the privilege of tying Ric Flair on 16 world titles now would have been too soon.

Styles once again looked supreme as the heel champion, and the ending also fit in nicely. A great match and another strong indicator of the level that SmackDown's main event scene is at right now.

1. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler

In terms of storytelling and making fans interested in a guy who had stumbled along prior to the brand split, Dolph Ziggler is the biggest success story in WWE right now.

The Miz is not far behind him of course, and together, they are creating one of the year's hottest feuds.

Playing on the fact Ziggler might retire pre-match, with The Miz's mock tribute video on the go-home SmackDown, had fans eager to see what would happen next.

Luckily, both guys didn't deliver. The wrestling was again great, and it was a bout that could have equally gone to the main event slot given how the WWE World Championship match went on first.

The buzz surrounding both men is pretty electric at the moment. It always felt like this bout would steal the show, and although it was pushed close, that is how it turned out.

Credit to both guys, with Ziggler's celebrations at the end also well worthy of a mention.