Ranking WWE's top 5 best pay-per-views of 2016

Backlash 2016 was a SmackDown-exclusive event.

#4 Backlash (September 11, 2016)

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Backlash ended with AJ Styles as the new WWE Champion.
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Coming out of the 2016 WWE Draft, it was revealed Raw and SmackDown would have their own exclusive pay-per-view events for the first time in nearly a decade. Of course, SummerSlam was a dual-branded show, so Backlash was the first true test as to whether this experiment would work.

On paper, the show didn't seem to have the strongest lineup, but it ultimately exceeded all expectations from start to finish. Among the six solid matchups was the crowning of the inaugural SmackDown Women's champion, as well as the first-ever SmackDown Tag Team champions.

Is this man the funniest man in wrestling?

In the main event, AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose produced an extraordinary match, with The Phenomenal One taking home the WWE Championship. It was the first of three fantastic shows SmackDown put on in the remainder of the year.

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Edited by Staff Editor
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