WWE: 15 Best Matches of 2016
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
12. Roman Reigns vs AJ Styles – Extreme Rules Match – Extreme Rules
I, like many others, have voiced my reservations about Roman Reigns. Call him boring, call him cheesy, say he can’t wrestle, the list goes on and on. But one thing was for sure at Extreme Rules, he and AJ Styles tore the roof off the Prudential Center in Newark that night in May. Battling over the WWE Championship, Styles and Reigns put on one of the better main events of the year and proved that when Reigns is matched correctly, he can shine.
It’s very difficult to explain just how good Styles is. He resume speaks for itself. He’s the first wrestler to ever win IWGP Championship, TNA Championship, and WWE Championship while establishing himself globally as one of the all times greats. His signing by the WWE was a landmark deal and since arriving in the company, has helped everyone raise the bar. Reigns was unquestionably the biggest beneficiary of Styles brilliance as they battled at EC and Payback the month before.
This was the classic bruiser versus high-flyer that included huge high spots and major league drama. The sold out crowd was fully invested in all 22 minutes of battle and although the end was marred by some outside interference, it didn’t stop the encounter from being an instant classic. Say what you want about Reigns, but he brought the goods against The Phenomenal One here and the program helped bail out a title reign that was destined to fail from the outset.