The 2016 Extreme Rules was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was the eighth annual Extreme Rules event and took place on May 22, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The theme of the event was that it featured various hardcore-based matches.
Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. Only three matches, including the pre-show match, were contested under a hardcore stipulation. In the main event, Roman Reigns defeated AJ Styles in an Extreme Rules match to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship; after the match, Seth Rollins made his return from injury and attacked Reigns.
The event received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at the fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental Championship and the main event match. The event was originally scheduled to be held on May 1, 2016, at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, which would have been the third Extreme Rules at the venue, after 2012 and 2015, but WWE switched its date and venue with that year's Payback. This was the last Extreme Rules event to be held before the reintroduction of the brand extension in July.
Production Background
Extreme Rules was an annual professional wrestling event produced by WWE since 2009. It was originally broadcast exclusively via pay-per-view (PPV) before it began simultaneously livestreaming on the WWE Network in 2014. The concept of the event was that it featured various matches that were contested under hardcore rules and generally featured one Extreme Rules match. The defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion, which WWE acquired in 2003, originally used the "extreme rules" term to describe the regulations for all of its matches; WWE adopted the term, using it in place of "hardcore match" or "hardcore rules".
The eighth Extreme Rules event was originally scheduled for May 1, 2016, at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, which would have been the third Extreme Rules held there, after 2012 and 2015; however, on February 23, WWE announced that it switched its date and venue with that year's Payback. As a result, Extreme Rules instead took place on May 22, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Tickets went on sale on February 26 through Ticketmaster.
Storylines The event comprised eight matches, including one on the Kickoff pre-show, which resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown.
On the first post-WrestleMania Raw on April 4, AJ Styles won a four-way match for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship held by Roman Reigns and retained his title opportunity by defeating Sami Zayn on the next Raw. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Styles saved Reigns from an attack by Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, but Reigns then attacked Styles. At Payback, Styles faced Reigns for the world title. Reigns was first counted out and then disqualified, but the match was restarted twice (first by Shane McMahon and then Stephanie McMahon), turning into a no disqualification match. After interferences by both Anderson and Gallows and the Usos, Reigns eventually pinned Styles to retain the title. Subsequently, Vince, Shane, and Stephanie McMahon agreed that Styles should get a title rematch at Extreme Rules in an Extreme Rules match. After Styles, Anderson and Gallows beat Reigns and the Usos on the May 2 episode of Raw, Anderson and Gallows wanted Styles to hit Reigns with a chair but Styles refused. When the Usos attacked Styles from behind with a chair, Styles retaliated with the chair. Ultimately, Reigns powerbombed Styles through the broadcast table.
The tag team tournament to determine the #1 contender match for the WWE Tag Team Championship culminated at Payback, in a match pitting The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch) against Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, which ended in a no contest after Enzo Amore suffered a legit concussion. On the following night on Raw, The Vaudevillains were awarded a title match against WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods) at Extreme Rules.
At Payback, WWE Women's Champion Charlotte defeated Natalya in controversial fashion; when Charlotte had her opponent in the Sharpshooter, referee Charles Robinson awarded the match to Charlotte despite Natalya not having submitted, similar to the Montreal Screwjob at the 1997 Survivor Series. On the following night on Raw, a submission match between Charlotte and Natalya was scheduled for Extreme Rules; Ric Flair was banned from ringside, with the added stipulation any appearance by Flair would result in Charlotte losing the title.
On the May 2 episode of Raw, Rusev won a battle royal, last eliminating Zack Ryder, to earn a title match against United States Champion Kalisto at Extreme Rules.
At WrestleMania 32, Kevin Owens lost the Intercontinental Championship to Zack Ryder in a seven-man ladder match that also included Sami Zayn and The Miz. The next night on Raw, The Miz won the Intercontinental Championship after his wife Maryse distracted Ryder. On the April 11 episode of Raw, Owens interrupted Shane McMahon and demanded a title shot, but Shane instead booked him in a #1 contender match against Cesaro, which Cesaro won. At Payback, Owens defeated Zayn, and then stayed for commentary during the Intercontinental Championship match; Zayn attacked Owens and a fight broke between the two. While Owens and Zayn were fighting at the ropes, Cesaro tried to throw them, but Miz pinned him to retain the title. Then Owens, Miz, Cesaro and Zayn began a brawl with Owens standing tall at the end holding the championship. The next night on Raw, another #1 contender match between Owens and Cesaro occurred, but the match ended with no contest after Miz, who was on commentary, attacked Cesaro. Zayn then ran down to the ring and the fight ended with Zayn standing tall holding the championship. On the May 5 episode of SmackDown, Miz interrupted Zayn on The Highlight Reel and a match was booked later between the two, which Zayn won after Owens interfered. Cesaro ran down to the ring and a fight between the four ensued, which ended with Cesaro holding the championship. On the May 9 episode of Raw, Shane and Stephanie McMahon scheduled a triple threat title match at Extreme Rules between Owens, Miz and Cesaro. Zayn demanded to be inserted into the match as well, and defeated Miz later in the night to win contendership, thus turning the match into a fatal four way.
At Payback, Dean Ambrose defeated Chris Jericho. On the next night on Raw, during a segment of The Ambrose Asylum with Stephanie McMahon, Stephanie cancelled Ambrose Asylum and reinstated Jericho's talk show, The Highlight Reel. Jericho came out and attacked Ambrose, destroying Mitch the Potted Plant in the process. The following week on Raw, Ambrose attacked Jericho and destroyed Jericho's jacket. On the May 12 episode of SmackDown, Jericho attacked Ambrose and put the straitjacket on Ambrose. On the May 16 episode of Raw, Ambrose challenged Jericho to a match at Extreme Rules, which Jericho accepted. Ambrose then revealed that their match would be an Asylum match, a steel cage match with weapons hanging above the cage.
Baron Corbin's first WWE singles match on the first Raw after WrestleMania ended in a double countout against Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler then defeated Corbin on the Payback Kickoff pre-show. On the May 9 episode of Raw, Corbin defeated Ziggler. The following week, a No Disqualification match between the two was scheduled for the Extreme Rules Kickoff pre-show.
On the April 11 episode of Raw, Karl Anderson debuted in and Luke Gallows returned to WWE by attacking The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso). On the April 25 episode of Raw, Anderson and Gallows defeated The Usos. The following weeks after Payback, the two teams faced each other in tag team matches with Reigns and Styles in the mix. On the May 19 episode of SmackDown, a tornado tag team match was scheduled for the two teams at Extreme Rules.
Event + Other on-screen personnelRole:Name:English commentatorsMichael Cole John "Bradshaw" Layfield Byron Saxton Mauro Ranallo Spanish commentatorsCarlos CabreraMarcelo RodríguezGerman commentatorsCarsten SchaeferSebastian HacklRing announcersLilian Garcia Eden StilesRefereesJohn ConeDan EnglerMike ChiodaRod ZapataDarrick MooreRyan TranBackstage interviewerJoJoPre-show panelRenee YoungCorey GravesBooker TJerry Lawler
Pre-show During the Extreme Rules Kickoff pre-show, The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) cut a promo in the ring, but were interrupted by Colin Cassady. The Dudleyz tried to beat Cassady down when he confronted them, but he eventually overpowered the two. Later on, Baron Corbin faced Dolph Ziggler in a no disqualification match. In the end, Corbin performed a low blow on Ziggler and followed up with an End of Days to win the match.
Preliminary matches The event opened with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson facing The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) in a tornado tag team match. The match ended when Gallows and Anderson executed the Magic Killer on Jimmy Uso for the win.
Next, Kalisto defended the United States Championship against Rusev. Rusev forced Kalisto to submit to the Accolade to win the title.
After that, The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) defended the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch). The referee missed non-participant Kofi Kingston interfering by executing Trouble in Paradise on Gotch, which led to Woods executing a Shining Wizard on Gotch for the pinfall.
In the fourth match, The Miz defended the Intercontinental Championship in a Fatal Four-Way match against Cesaro, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn. The match started with Zayn immediately executing a Helluva Kick on Owens. In the middle of the match, Miz executed the Skull Crushing Finale on Cesaro for a near-fall. Cesaro applied the Sharpshooter on Miz, who submitted, but the referee did not see it as he was distracted by Maryse. Cesaro performed a Neutralizer on Owens, but Zayn broke up the pin. Owens performed a Pop-Up Powerbomb on Cesaro, but Miz broke up the pin and executed a Skull Crushing Finale on Owens outside the ring, and covered Cesaro which scored a near-fall. In the climax, Zayn executed a Helluva Kick on Cesaro, but Owens pulled Zayn out of the ring to break the pin. As Owens and Zayn brawled at ringside, Miz pinned Cesaro to retain the title.
Next, Dean Ambrose faced Chris Jericho in the first-ever Asylum match. After Ambrose kicked out of a Codebreaker, he countered a second Codebreaker by dropping Jericho onto the thumbtacks, then followed up with "Dirty Deeds" onto the thumbtacks for the win.
In the sixth match, Charlotte defended the WWE Women's Championship against Natalya in a submission match. The match stipulation was that Ric Flair was banned from ringside and that if he appeared at ringside, Charlotte would have lost the title. The end of the match saw Natalya applying the Sharpshooter, when Ric Flair's music played and a figure resembling Flair appeared in the aisle. The figure turned out to be Dana Brooke masquerading as Ric Flair. A distracted Natalya broke the hold and was attacked by Charlotte, who applied the Figure Eight Leglock to retain the title.
Main event