The 2016 Extreme Rules was the eighth annual Extreme Rules professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on May 22, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This was the last Extreme Rules event to be held before the reintroduction of the brand extension in July. The concept of Extreme Rules is that the event features various hardcore-based matches.
Nine 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 Intercontinental Championship four-way and the main event WWE World Heavyweight Championship matches.
Production
Background
Extreme Rules is an annual gimmick event produced by WWE since 2009. The concept of the show is that the event features various matches that are contested under hardcore rules and generally features 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 and has since used it in place of "hardcore match" or "hardcore rules". The 2016 Extreme Rules event was the eighth Extreme Rules. The event was originally scheduled for May 1, 2016, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois (which would have been the third Extreme Rules held there after 2012 and 2015); however, on February 23, it switched dates and venues with Payback. As a result, Extreme Rules took place on May 22, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event aired on pay-per-view (PPV) worldwide and was livestreamed on the WWE Network. 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, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. 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.