1. Extreme Rules – WWE World Heavyweight Title: Roman Reigns [c] vs. AJ Styles (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson and The Usos interfere) (Extreme Rules 5/22/16)
AJ Styles was clearly the king of this wonderful month of professional wrestling, and here is his masterpiece. Not to discredit Roman Reigns either – this is a guy who gets second guessed all the time and pretty much always delivers. You don’t get a lot of wrestling matches like this these days, with real genuine HEAT throughout the whole thing. The early brawling is great, the wrestling is top tier New Japan heavyweight style in a WWE ring, and the last 10 minutes are just insane with Reigns’ spear into the barricade, AJ’s back body drop into the commentator’s table, AJ’s apron bump on the Superman punch. Huge, HUGE near falls too. Just awesome.
2. WWE World Heavyweight Title: Roman Reigns [c] vs. AJ Styles (restarted as a No Countouts match by Shane McMahon, then a No DQ Match by Stephanie McMahon) (Payback 5/1/16)
You could really switch up this and the Extreme Rules match and I’d have no issue with it. This was their first match and really just as incredible, with more straight pro wrestling before the circus finish. This was a big fight feel type of match, with both guys just throwing bombs at each other and the crowd going nuts for everything. I thought this felt like Brock vs. Roman with more flippy shit. Just awesome stuff.
3. Fatal 4-Way Match – WWE Intercontinental Title: The Miz [c] w/ Maryse vs. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens (Extreme Rules 5/22/16)
The first 10 minutes or so of this were pretty insane but a little too cute for my tastes. Felt like a modern day WWE ladder match – a lot of crazy, nutty, forgettable shit. But the last 10 minutes of this are just so great. Just a super fun match with a lot of big moves and near falls, made all the better by Miz sneaking around and totally belonging with these three world-traveled pros. Zayn looked incredible here too, peaking with the gorgeous sunset flip powerbomb to Cesaro. Like wonderful, tasty candy.
4. Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (RAW 5/23/16)
Tremendous match, a hair under their last RAW match which is the only thing I’d consider a challenge to the Reigns/Styles series as Match of the Year right now. Just top shelf stuff. Highlights here were both guys just punching each other in the head early, Styles’ springboard 450, an excellent countout tease, and the tease and delivery of the powerbomb to the steps. They kept a great pace and brought an exhausted crowd up and down like only two pros can. Styles’ timing is really incredible, and the guy is just awesome to watch. He somehow sells his exhaustion while at the same time doing some of the most athletically impressive stuff. Great match.
5. WWE Intercontinental Title: The Miz [c] w/ Maryse vs. Cesaro (SmackDown! 5/26/16)
These guys had an okay match at Payback, a really good match on the 5/23 RAW, and this great match on the 5/26 SmackDown!, which main evented and had the IC Title on the line. Miz is having a low key awesome year, and Cesaro’s had a little trouble finding his footing since the return but looked like the awesome wrestler we know and love here. Story was Miz going after Cesaro’s injured shoulder, constantly cutting him off with it every time he got on offense. Big time fun. Great closing stretch too. Give these dudes a real push and you’ve got a program that can headline SmackDown! when the brand splits.
6. Bayley vs. Nia Jax (NXT 5/18/16)
Outside of the TakeOver specials, NXT TV has been pretty quiet this whole year. Leave it to Bayley to have this great match. This has all the stuff you’ve loved and missed about NXT – hot Full Sail crowd, characters you care about, logical booking that moves brilliantly to the next thing. This is a rematch of their fun TakeOver: London match, and Nia is a lady who has learned some things. She just destroys Bayley here, who bumps and sells big time, and peppers in her comebacks at all the right times. Appreciated the guillotine tease too, which was the finish of the London match. Awesome finish too – nothing fancy, Nia just leg drops Bayley to death. Perfect TV wrestling.
7. WWE U.S. Title: Kalisto [c] vs. Ryback (Payback 5/1/16)
This might have been Ryback’s swan song with WWE, and what a song he sang. If you were paying attention, it’s clear why a dude like Ryback would be frustrated enough to leave. He was wrestling in the first half of the year like a man who wanted and deserved a WrestleMania spot, having randomly great matches even on Main Event. According to him he even pitched a story, which was likely the program with Kalisto. Worked hard, pitched stories. Did what WWE says they wants. And he ended up opening up the Mania Kickoff show before even 25% of the crowd had entered the arena. I’d be pissed too. This was a great match, with a fast pace and some really wild spots, highlighted by Ryback’s top rope press slam. Mr. Reeves, you will be missed. Hope you crush it elsewhere.
8. Roman Reigns & The Usos vs. AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (RAW 5/2/16)
There were like a hundred great 6-man tags with the Club and the Bloodline this month, and spots 8 and 9 have the two best ones. This was the first actually, and was awesome. Big heat, Anderson and Gallows dishing out punishment, Reigns and Gallows trading shots. Styles being Styles. They had a match a day later on SmackDown! that was great fun too. Great storytelling, great wrestling.
9. Elimination Match: Roman Reigns & The Usos vs. AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (RAW 5/9/16)
Another great match, this time with the elimination gimmick. Hot crowd, snug work, fast pace, great story. Gallows was the star here – moving around quick, throwing bombs, bumping big. Tremendous.
10. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens (Payback 5/1/16)
So here’s Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens’ first singles match on the main roster, and they had to do it after a nasty-looking Enzo Amore injury that stopped the opening match of a pay-per-view and really hushed the crowd. So this was even more impressive. It’s basically like each guy’s Greatest Hits, just basically a sprint with unreal chemistry between both guys and an awesome closing stretch. They will have better matches, but this was an incredible start.
Honorable Mentions: Roman Reigns w/ The Usos vs. Luke Gallows w/ AJ Styles and Karl Anderson (SmackDown! 5/19/16), Roman Reigns & The Usos vs. AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (SmackDown! 5/5/16), The New Day vs. Social Outcasts (Main Event 5/24/16), Charlotte & Emma w/ Ric Flair vs. Natalya & Becky Lynch (SmackDown! 5/5/16), Sami Zayn vs. The Miz w/ Maryse (RAW 5/9/16), Cesaro & Sami Zayn vs. The Miz & Kevin Owens (SmackDown! 5/12/16), Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens (SmackDown! 5/19/16), The Usos vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson in a Tornado Tag Team Match (Extreme Rules 5/22/16), Sami Zayn vs. Sheamus MITB Qualifier (RAW 5/23/16), Cesaro vs. The Miz w/ Maryse MITB Qualifier (RAW 5/23/16), Rusev w/ Lana vs. Kalisto for the WWE U.S. Title (SmackDown! 5/26/16), Dean Ambrose, Cesaro & Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens & Alberto del Rio (RAW 5/30/16), Jack Swagger & Titus O’Neil vs. Social Outcasts (Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel) w/ Heath Slater (Main Event 5/17/16), Zack Ryder vs. Alberto del Rio (Main Event 5/17/16), Shinsuke Nakamura & Austin Aries vs. Blake & Murphy (NXT 5/18/16), Zack Ryder vs. Stardust (Superstars 5/20/16), Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa vs. TM61 (Shane Thorne & Nick Miller) (NXT 5/25/16)
