WWE Tribute to the Troops 2016 Spoilers: Full Results and Analysis

The annual Tribute to the Troops special is considered to be one of the most important shows of the year.

Every December, the Superstars of World Wrestling Entertainment tell the viewing audience how the annual tradition trumps even WrestleMania in terms of importance, then proceed to deliver spirited, heartfelt and fun performances.

Rarely do the matches have any lasting impact whatsoever, but it is still a show worth gathering with family to check out.

What do the men and women of wrestling's greatest promotion have in store for fans come Wednesday night as part of WWE Week on USA Network?

Let's take a look, courtesy of Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.

Results

• Lilian Garcia returned and performed the national anthem.
• An in-ring promo featuring Roman Reigns, Big Cass, Rusev, Lana and Kevin Owens led to Mick Foley booking a big tag team main event.
• Cesaro and Sheamus defeated The Golden Truth, The Shining Stars and The Club to earn a shot at the Raw Tag Team Championships Sunday at Roadblock: End of the Line.
• Intercontinental champion The Miz issued an open challenge for a non-title match. Apollo Crews answered and was flanked by comedian Gabriel Iglesias.
• Crews defeated The Miz in a non-title match.
• SmackDown tag team champions Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper defeated Dolph Ziggler and American Alpha.
• Bayley defeated Dana Brooke with Charlotte ringside.
• Cruiserweight champion Rich Swann, TJ Perkins and Jack Gallagher defeated The Brian Kendrick, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak.
• A backstage segment aired featuring The New Day, The Club (Gallows, Anderson and AJ Styles) and a reunion of The Shield.
• Reigns and Cass defeated Owens and Rusev in the main event.

Analysis

The most newsworthy element of Wednesday's show is the reunion of Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, who appear on screen together under friendly conditions for the first time since 2014.

The Shield is a revolutionary act, a trio that spawned three world champions and helped set the company up for the next 10 years with viable stars.

It would make sense for fans to be dissatisfied with their reunion to be wasted on a throwaway special, but in this instance, with the holidays around the corner and the company's determination to deliver the most feel-good show of the year, bringing them together for a brief backstage promo is harmless.

Had the reunion taken place in front of the fans, in the arena, it would have been inexcusable.

On a show typically dominated by babyface victories, it is interesting to see Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Luke Harper go over Dolph Ziggler and American Alpha, especially since The Show Off just earned a WWE World Championship match against AJ Styles on December 27.

Finally, the fact that Sheamus and Cesaro captured the No. 1 contendership to the Raw Tag Team Championships on this show is refreshing. Too often, Tribute to the Troops is an incredibly emotional show lacking any real stakes.

Creating a scenario where the top contenders to a major championship are determined right out of the gate could push more casual viewers to tune in.

Kris Connor/Getty Images

With appearances from the cruiserweights, Bayley and The Miz, the show looks like a quality way to pass two hours on a Wednesday night. Is it destination viewing? Absolutely not, but it should figure to provide the fanbase with another entry into the most emotional and rewarding event of the year, especially when WWE's production staff splices in the video packages of Superstars visiting the troops earlier in the day Tuesday.