WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming event
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.
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.
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.
In the main event, Roman Reigns faced AJ Styles in an Extreme Rules Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. In the first half of the match, Styles and Reigns brawled around the arena: Reigns suffered a Phenomenal Forearm from the pre-show table, while Styles suffered a back body drop through a broadcast table. Despite Styles attacking Reigns's knee mid-way in the match, he was able to powerbomb Styles through another broadcast table, counter Styles' Phenomenal Forearm with a "Superman Punch", and finally spear Styles at ringside. After that, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows gave Reigns a Boot of Doom and helped Styles cover Reigns, but Reigns kicked out. The Usos then interfered, with Superkicks and a Samoan Splash on Styles, who kicked out of a pin attempt by Reigns.
In the last two minutes of the match, Reigns kicked out of a Styles Clash, then Styles gave Reigns a second Styles Clash onto a chair. Styles covered Reigns after fighting off one of the Usos, but Reigns kicked out again. Styles then grabbed the chair and attacked Reigns and the Usos with it multiple times. Styles attempted a Phenomenal Forearm, only for Reigns to spear him in mid-air to retain the title. After the match, Seth Rollins made a surprise return and attacked Reigns with a Pedigree. Rollins then hoisted the title over Reigns to end the broadcast.
Reception.
Critics gave a mixed-to-positive reception to the show, generally praising firstly the Intercontinental Championship four-way and secondly the main event WWE World Heavyweight Championship match and its post-match happenings, but the rest of the show was not as well