WWE Roadblock 2016 Matches: Power Ranking Bouts Most Likely to Steal the Show

The usual suspects threaten to steal the show at WWE Roadblock: End of the Line.

Seth Rollins is set to flourish against a future Hall of Famer. Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair will again meet in a first for women's wrestling. And it's always hard to count out Roman Reigns when projecting who will tear down the house.

Skill and story will converge at Sunday's Raw-exclusive pay-per-view. But who will best utilize that combination? Who will most leave fans buzzing after Roadblock: End of the Line?

Rollins has a great shot of doing so. The same goes for The Boss and The Queen.

Read on as we break down the matches in the best positions to be the talk of Roadblock. The quality of the bout's story and build, its placement on the card, the talent involved, the stipulation and the stakes all determined the rankings.

7. Big Cass vs. Rusev

Its pre-show placement makes Big Cass vs. Rusev a long shot to steal the show on Sunday.

The matches relegated to that part of the PPV are often treated like filler. They don't run long. They unfold in front of an arena where fans are still filing in.

There will be plenty of animosity between these two powerhouses, though.

Rusev laid out Big Cass' best friend, Enzo Amore. The babyface will now be looking for payback. 

The two hosses will swing hard and deliver some physical action on top of that.

Still, Big Cass is not a top-notch worker. Their battle in August on Raw was nothing special. And this is likely a setup for future battles, while some of Roadblock's other bouts will be far more climactic.

6. Rich Swann vs. The Brian Kendrick vs. TJ Perkins (Cruiserweight Championship)

The Cruiserweight Championship tilt has ample potential just based on the talent involved.

Rich Swann is an electric performer. TJ Perkins has delivered multiple hits early in his WWE run. The Brian Kendrick's heel acumen has led to a number of strong bouts this year.

The build to the clash, however, has been ho-hum. WWE hasn't treated Swann vs. Kendrick vs. Perkins like one of Roadblock's more significant contests.

The story is minimal here, too. Kendrick dethroned Perkins and later lost the cruiserweight belt to Swann. They all have their eyes on gold, but WWE hasn't developed the narrative much beyond that.

The Triple Threat match has a great shot of outclassing the pre-show bout, but the rest of the Roadblock card promises to be more memorable and momentous. 

5. The New Day vs. Sheamus and Cesaro (Raw Tag Team Championship)

If The New Day was still chasing history, this match would be a much bigger deal.

The trio already broke Demolition's record as the longest-reigning champions on the final Raw before Roadblock. Sheamus and Cesaro taking down The New Day would still be a big achievement, but the stakes aren't as enthralling.

Sheamus and Cesaro's previous encounters with The New Day have all been good. There has been excellent chemistry between the two squads.

At the same time, the teams have met quite a bit recently, including title matches on Dec. 12, Nov. 21 and Oct. 30 at Hell in a Cell. This isn't a fresh matchup.

And this was the last match WWE placed on the PPV's card. Sheamus and Cesaro earned this title shot at the Tribute to the Troops event this week.

Other Roadblock showdowns promise to be bigger priorities.

4. Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman (10-Minute Time Limit)

Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman is the most hit-or-miss collision on the card.

It could be a creative, compelling tale of an underdog standing up to a monster—one that propels both participants in a major way. Or it could be a gimmicky train wreck. 

WWE has put great effort into setting up this bout for weeks. General manager Mick Foley has tried to dissuade Zayn from fighting the beastly Strowman. The former NXT champ has refused, and he pleaded his case loudly and emphatically until the GM changed his mind.

Now, Zayn has to survive 10 minutes with Raw's most fearsome predator.

The stipulation is unique and fits the narrative well. Zayn is a tremendous in-ring storyteller. Strowman has flourished in his role as Raw's resident destroyer of men.

But booking may hold this back. WWE Creative overthinking this clash threatens to get in the performers' way. 

3. Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns (Universal Championship)

Roman Reigns has proved he is among the company's clutch performers. Kevin Owens is the type of wrestler who can put on a great match against just about anybody. 

When they collide on Sunday, it's a safe bet they will deliver.

But will the match inspire the audience to invest? Reigns winning amid fan resistance to his rise wouldn't be a great end result. WWE had a double champ just last year, too. 

These rivals have also been a part of one of Roadblock's most underwhelming stories.

Owens vs. Reigns has lacked the standout promos of Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman, the memorable moments of Chris Jericho vs. Seth Rollins and the palpable enmity of Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair.

Even so, the Universal Championship match will either be the main event or one of the most high-profile bouts of the night. That will assure both men loads of time to do their magic. They will make full use of that, succeeding in spite of a stale narrative.

That won't be enough to outdo Rollins vs. Jericho, though.

2. Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho

In a short amount of time, Seth Rollins and Chris Jericho have generated a healthy supply of bad blood.

Y2J has derailed Rollins' title hopes time and again. To help keep his best friend, Kevin Owens, champ, Jericho has assaulted Rollins inside Hell in a Cell and disguised himself as Sin Cara to attack him in the stands. The Architect is now starving for revenge.

That will power this bout, helping to be one of Roadblock's best.

Rollins' athleticism, Jericho's experience and the in-ring chemistry between these two skilled mat artists will equal a high-quality contest. It has all the makings to be Rollins' best bout of the year, surpassing his SummerSlam showdown with Finn Balor.

But Rollins and Jericho's history isn't as deep as what the warriors clashing over the Raw Women's Championship have between them. They won't have the benefit of a drama-rich stipulation, either.  

1. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair (Iron Man Match for Raw Women's Championship)

Roadblock's other matches will serve as opening chapters or clashes in the middle of a rivalry. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair will be the most climactic showdown of the night.

These bitter rivals will go to battle one last time (or so WWE has promised) in another marquee match with abounding hype. 

Banks and Flair have been at each other's throats for a long time. They have broken Kendo sticks and bent chairs on each other's flesh. They have left each other heartbroken and inspired.

They are titans on the same tier, out to prove their superiority. 

Along with that robust foundation and the stellar chemistry between them, Banks and Flair will also have the benefit of a stipulation that inherently makes matches more dramatic and momentous. The Iron Man element will make this the night's longest match and assure it features a plethora of ups and downs. 

The match's biggest drawback is potential fan fatigue. Audiences have seen these archenemies battle often in recent months, as the title has traded hands five times since July.

That won't drag down what has the ingredients to be an instant classic. Each installment of Banks vs. Flair has lived up to the hype. Sunday will be no different.