WWE Roadblock 2016 was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE. It took place on March 12, 2016 and aired exclusively on the WWE Network from the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was the first WWE Roadblock event.
Nine matches were contested on the event card, with two dark matches. The main event saw Triple H defeated Dean Ambrose to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Background[]
Roadblock, originally titled March to WrestleMania: Live from Toronto, consisted of professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds or storylines that play out on WWE's primary television programs, Raw and SmackDown along with WWE's developmental branch NXT. Wrestlers portray heroes or villains as they follow a series of events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.
On the February 29 episode of Raw, Dean Ambrose challenged Triple H to a match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Later that night, Triple H interfered in Ambrose's match against Alberto Del Rio, causing a disqualification. Ambrose attacked Triple H, but Triple H stopped his onslaught with a Pedigree. He then accepted the challenge before attacking Ambrose again. The match was scheduled for Roadblock.
On the March 2 episode of NXT, NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival were scheduled to defend their titles against Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady at Roadblock.
At Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar eliminated Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman of The Wyatt Family from the Royal Rumble match. However, the trio re-entered the ring and eliminated Lesnar from the match. On the March 3 episode of SmackDown, a match between Brock Lesnar and Bray Wyatt was scheduled for Roadblock. At the event, the match was changed into a 2-on-1 handicap match, also involving Luke Harper.
On March 8, WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day were scheduled to defend their titles against Sheamus and King Barrett, of the League of Nations, at Roadblock.
On March 11, a non-title match between Divas Champion Charlotte and Natalya was scheduled for the event. In a pre-recorded segment aired immediately before the match, Natalya goaded Charlotte to put her title on the line.
Reception[]
Jason Powell of Pro Wrestling Dot Net commented, "Overall, Roadblock is what most of us thought it would be. They weren’t going to shake up the WrestleMania lineup three weeks away. I know some fans convinced themselves it was possible, but it just never struck me as being realistic regardless of whether it would have made for a better WrestleMania lineup."
James Caldwell of Pro Wrestling Torch wrote that Roadblock was a "glorified house show for the most part, but the toned-down, less-corporate production value was refreshing for a WWE broadcast." Regarding the main event, Caldwell said that the "false finish for Dean was interesting in that WWE is lacking goodwill heading into Mania and going that far with a false finish straddled the line of being more of a turn-off than heat-generator."
John Powell of Canoe.ca summed up that there were "no surprises at a solid Roadblock ... Although the overall show was far better than any of the WWE's recent pay-per-views, Roadblock did nothing at all to fuel any kind of excitement for WrestleMania or its feuds." For the main event, Powell wrote, "In the match of his career, Ambrose proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he is main event material, perhaps soon to be following in the legendary but demented footsteps of another unorthodox superstar, one Mick Foley." Powell also praised Canadians "Natalya, Chris Jericho and Sami Zayn all putting in exceptional performances", as well as the four NXT wrestlers who proved "why NXT is still the show to watch each and every week". However, commentator JBL was criticized after he "literally loses his mind and starts yelling", with Powell requesting "someone please loosen his tie or cut back his coffee, thanks."
Match Preview[]
| The New Day vs. The League of Nations | Preview |
| Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson vs. Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore | Preview |
| Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt | Preview |
| Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose | Preview |
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Dark Match: Mark Henry defeated Randy Sharp
- Dark Match: Goldust defeated Viktor
- The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) (w/ Xavier Woods) (c) defeated The League of Nations (Sheamus & King Barrett) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship (9:36)
- Chris Jericho defeated Jack Swagger by submission (8:00)
- The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson) (c) defeated Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore (w/ Carmella) to retain the NXT Tag Team Championship (10:25)
- Charlotte (c) (w/ Ric Flair) defeated Natalya to retain the WWE Divas Championship (13:30)
- Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) defeated The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper) in a Two On One Handicap Match (4:00)
- Sami Zayn defeated Stardust (12:40)
- Triple H (c) defeated Dean Ambrose to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (22:40)
Other on-screen talent[]
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External links[]
WWE Roadblock 2016 Official Website
WWE Roadblock 2016 at CAGEMATCH.net
WWE Roadblock 2016 at Online World of Wrestling
| Roadblock 2016 previews |
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| Triple H v Dean Ambrose • Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson v Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore • Brock Lesnar v Bray Wyatt • The New Day v The League of Nations • |
| Roadblock |
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2016 • End of the Line |
| 2016 World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views |
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Royal Rumble • Fastlane • Roadblock • Takeover IX • WrestleMania • Payback • Extreme Rules • TakeOver: The End • Money in the Bank • Battleground • Back to Brooklyn • SummerSlam • Backlash • Clash of Champions • No Mercy • Hell in a Cell • TakeOver: Toronto • Survivor Series • TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs • Roadblock: End of the Line |