This is a list of various things that took place in 2016.
Significant events
January
- 11 - Sting is announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
February
- 5 - Bull Dempsey, Marcus Louis and Sylvester Lefort are released from WWE.
- 8 - Daniel Bryan announces his retirement from in ring competition, but would return to wrestling in 2018.
- 22 - The Godfather is announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
- 22 - After a six-year absence, Shane McMahon returns to the WWE, appearing on that evening's Monday Night Raw program. He will begin a storyline with Vince McMahon Jr., Stephanie McMahon and Triple H (his real-life father, sister and brother-in-law) over control of Raw.
- 29 - Fabulous Freebirds are announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
March
- 2 - Kevin Nash announces he will, after his death, have his brain donated to the CTE Center at Boston University and the Concussion Legacy Foundation. The announcement comes on the same day that women's soccer star Brandi Chastain said she was doing the same thing. The announcements come in the wake of raised awareness of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological disorder observed in professional athletes -- most often football and boxing, but other sports such as professional wrestling -- who suffered repeat brain trauma.
- 7 - Big Boss Man is announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
- 14 - Jacqueline is announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
- 21 - Stan Hansen is announced as being inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame on Monday Night Raw.
April
- 27 - Rich Brennan is released from WWE.
- 29 - Kyle Edwards is released from WWE.
May
- 6 - Santino Marella, Cameron, Zeb Colter, El Torito, Alex Riley, Hornswoggle, King Barrett and Damien Sandow are all released from WWE.
- 21 - Cody Rhodes is released from WWE.
- 23 - Adam Rose is released from WWE.
- 25 - Eden Stiles is released from WWE.
June
- 13 - Ariya Daivari makes his WWE debut as a contestant in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
- 23 - WWE holds the first round of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
July
- 14 - WWE holds the second round of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
- 19 - WWE SmackDown is presented live on the USA Network for the first time on a regular basis.
- 28 - Zamariah ZZ Loupe is released from WWE NXT.
- 28 - Josh Woods is released from WWE NXT.
- 28 - Thomas Kingdon is released from WWE NXT.
August
- 8 - Ryback is released from WWE.
- 8 - Joey Styles is released from WWE.
- 22 - The Dudley Boyz retire from WWE.
- 26 - WWE holds the quarterfinals of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
September
- 9 - Alberto Del Rio is released from WWE.
- 11 - Heath Slater & Rhyno win the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships at Backlash; becoming the first-ever Smackdown Tag Team Champions.
- 14 - WWE holds the semifinals and finals of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
October
- 2 - Tough Enough Season 6 Women's Champion Sara Lee is released from WWE.
Births
Deaths
January
- 17 - Mike Sharpe (64)
- 23 - Archie Gouldie (71)
February
- 4 - Axl Rotten (44)
March
- 3 - Eiji Ezaki (47)
- 5 - Charlie Fulton (67)
- 5 - Lord James Blears (93)
- 31 - Kris Travis (32) (stomach cancer)
April
- 1 - Geoff Portz (85)
- 7 - Blackjack Mulligan (73)
- 12 - Balls Mahoney (44)
- 14 - Christin Able
- 20 - Chyna (45)
June
- 3 - Muhammad Ali (74) (septic shock)
- 6 - Danny Miller (84) (heart attack)
- 14 - Gypsy Joe (82)
August
- 28 - Harry Fujiwara (82)
September
- 10 - Moose Morowski (81)
- 16 - Don Bass (70)
October
- 21 - Jean Gagné (66)
November
- 8 - John Kowalski
December
- 9 - Mario Milano (81)
- 15 - Harley Saito
Debuts and Returns
January
- 4 - The Social Outcasts
- 24 - A.J. Styles in WWE at the Royal Rumble.
- 30 - Tough Enough Season 6 Women's Champion Sara Lee in NXT.
- 31 - Worldwide Underground in Lucha Underground.
February
- 22 - Shane McMahon returns on Raw.
March
- 18 - Angel Hayze makes her career in-ring debut.
April
- 1 - Shinsuke Nakamura and Austin Aries make their televised in-ring NXT debuts at NXT Takeover: Dallas.
- 3 - Baron Corbin makes his WWE main roster debut by winning the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.
- 4 - Apollo Crews, Enzo Amore, and Big Cass make their WWE main roster debuts on Raw.
- 4 - Cesaro returns to Raw from injury.
- 7 - The Vaudevillains make their WWE main roster debuts on Smackdown
May
- 22 - Seth Rollins returns at Extreme Rules from injury.
July
- 8 - Otis Dozovic makes his WWE debut in NXT.
- 25 - Finn Bálor and Nia Jax make their WWE main roster debuts on Raw.
August
- 6 - Jake Atlas makes his career in-ring debut.
October
- 1 - Otis Dozovic and Tucker Knight debut their team name as Heavy Machinery in NXT.
- 4 - Mitsuru Konno makes her career in-ring debut.
- 7 - Jordan Oliver makes his career in-ring debut.
November
- 15 - Casey Johns makes his career in-ring debut.
Events
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December
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Pay-Per-View Events
January
- 24 - Royal Rumble 2016
February
- 21 - Fast Lane 2016
March
- 12 - Roadblock
April
- 1 - NXT Takeover: Dallas
- 3 - WrestleMania 32
May
- 1 - Payback 2016
- 22 - Extreme Rules 2016
June
- 8 - NXT TakeOver: The End
- 12 - Slammiversary XIV
- 19 - Money in the Bank 2016
July
- 24 - Battleground 2016
August
- 20 - NXT Takeover X
- 21 - SummerSlam 2016
September
- 7 - WWE Live In London
- 11 - Backlash
- 25 - Clash of Champions
October
- 9 - No Mercy 2016
- 30 - Hell in a Cell 2016
November
- 20 - Survivor Series 2016
December
Retirements
February
- 8 - Daniel Bryan retires from WWE.
- 29 - Ashley America
April
- 2 - Sting
- 22 - Bazooka Joe
August
- 11 - Sara Lee retires from WWE.
Title changes
January
- 11 - Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio (c) to win the WWE United States Championship on Raw.
- 12 - Alberto Del Rio defeated Kalisto (c) to win the WWE United States Championship on Smackdown.
- 24 - Triple H won the 30-man Royal Rumble match to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble. Roman Reigns was Champion going into the Rumble.
- 24 - Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio (c) to win the WWE United States Championship at the Royal Rumble.
February
- 15 - Kevin Owens defeated Dean Ambrose (c) and Dolph Ziggler and Stardust and Tyler Breeze in a Fatal 5-Way match to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship on Raw.
March
- 15 - Drew Galloway defeated Matt Hardy (c) to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
- 19 - Decay (Abyss & Crazzy Steve) (w/ Rosemary) defeated Beer Money Inc. (Bobby Roode & James Storm) (c) in a Valley Of Shadows Match to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship
- 19 - Bram defeated Eric Young (c) in a Falls Count Anywhere match to win the TNA King of the Mountain Championship
April
- 1 - American Alpha defeated The Revival (c) to win the NXT Tag Team Championship at NXT Takeover: Dallas.
- 1 - Asuka defeated Bayley (c) to win the NXT Women's Championship at NXT Takeover: Dallas.
- 3 - Zack Ryder defeated Kevin Owens (c), The Miz, Sin Cara, Stardust, Dolph Ziggler and Sami Zayn in a Ladder match to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XXXII.
- 3 - Charlotte (w/ Ric Flair) defeated Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch by submission to win the vacant WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania XXXII.
- 3 - Roman Reigns defeated Triple H (c) (w/ Stephanie McMahon) to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXXII.
- 4 - The Miz defeated Zack Ryder (c) to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship on Raw.
- 21 - Samoa Joe defeated Finn Balor (c) to win the WWE NXT Championship at a NXT Live Event.
May
- 18 - Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Aero Star, El Siniestro de la Muerte, Joey Ryan, Sexy Star, Texano & The Mack in a Seven Way Match to win the vacant Lucha Underground Gift of the Gods Championship at a Lucha Underground taping
- 22 - Rusev defeated Kalisto (c) to win the WWE United States Championship at the Extreme Rules 2016.
June
- 8 - The Revival defeated American Alpha (c) to win the NXT Tag Team Championship at NXT Takeover: Dallas.
- 20 - Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns (c) to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank. Dean Ambrose then cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated Rollins to win the championship.
July
- 25 - Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte (c) (w/ Dana Brooke) by submission to win the WWE Women's Championship on Raw.
August
- 20 - Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Samoa Joe (c) to win the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: Back to Brooklyn.
- 21 - Charlotte defeated Sasha Banks (c) to win the WWE Women's Champion at SummerSlam.
- 21 Finn Balor defeated Seth Rollins to win the new WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2016.
- 22 After winning the WWE Universal Championship the previous night, Finn Balor vacates the WWE Universal Championship on Raw.
- 29 - Kevin Owens defeated Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Big Cass to win the vacant WWE Universal Championship on Raw.
September
- 11 - AJ Styles defeated Dean Ambrose (c) to win the WWE World Championship at Backlash.
- 25 - Roman Reigns defeated Rusev (c) (w/ Lana) to win the WWE United States Championship at Clash of Champions.
October
- 3 - Eddie Edwards defeated Bobby Lashley (c) to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
- 9 - Rosemary defeated Jade (c) in a Steel Cage Match to win the TNA Knockouts Championship
- 21 - Tim Storm defeated Jax Dane to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
November
- 28 - Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte (c) in a Falls Count Anywhere Match to win the WWE Raw Women's Championship on Raw.
December
- 4 - The New Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton) defeated Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) to win the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship at TLC 2016.
- 4 - Alexa Bliss defeated Becky Lynch (c) in a Tables match to win the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
- 18 - Cesaro & Sheamus defeated The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) (c) (w/ Xavier Woods) to win the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
- 18 - Charlotte Flair defeated Sasha Banks (c) by submission in a 30-minute Iron Man match to win the WWE Raw Women's Championship