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WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe.
Styles attacked Joe at the bell and nailed a knee to the head of Joe, who was on the floor, knocking him to the floor. Styles slammed him into the announcers' table. Styles nailed a high speed sliding kick to the outside. AJ sent him into the ring and went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Joe rolled to the outside. Styles dove off the apron but Joe drilled him as he came down, turning the tide of the momentum.
Joe drove Styles with a big boot to the face, then whipped him into the ringside steps, with Styles flying over them. Joe brought him back into the ring, covering the WWE Champion but was only able to garner a one count. Joe began dishing out the punishment and nailed a big tope into a forearm smash on the floor. Joe locked Styles in a neck vice. He kept working over Styles and set him for a superplex, but Styles slipped underneath and dropped him onto the top turnbuckle face-first.
Styles mounted several big offensive maneuvers, including a moonsault into an inverted DDT, but couldn't put the challenger away. Styles went for another moonsault but Joe pulled his knees up. Styles was drilled with a powerbomb but got up at the count of two, only to see Joe turn him over into a Boston Crab, then a STF. Styles sidesteps a Joe charge and began drilling him with punches. Joe fired back but was caught by Styles, who muscled him up into a Torture Rack position, then powerbombed him down for a two count.
Joe regained control with an evil looking lariat for a two count. It sent Styles upside down and was right out of the Stan Hansen playbook. Styles was out on his feet as Joe pulled him up into a muscle buster. Styles slipped out and went for the Styles Clash but Joe kicked him away. Styles went for the calf crusher but Joe drilled him. Joe missed a clothesline and was naled with a Pele Kick. Joe elevated Styles over the top but he landed on his feet and nailed a forearm. He went for the Phenomenal Forearm but was snatched into the Kokina Klutch. Styles rolled over him and the referee counted Joe's shoulders to the mat (think Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper at Wrestlemania 8).
Your winner and still WWE Champion, AJ Styles!
Joe lost it after, claiming Styles had tapped out. Joe grabbed the WWE title and raised it but was attacked and laid out by Styles. Joe walked out screaming for Paige.
Way better than their Summerslam match, which I also liked. This was another great match between the two, very reminiscient of the matches they had back in ROH in terms of balls to the wall physicality. The disputed finish is a nice way to continue the story as well. The replay showed that Styles actually did tap Joe's side between the second and third count from the referee, who was on the other side of the two counting the pinfall. Really well crafted story there.
At this point, I wish I had gotten on a plane to watch this show live, because it's delivered in every match thus far.
Charly Caruso interviewed Miz and Maryse backstage. Miz said that they made Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella the most relevant they have ever been. Maryse said that Brie put her hands on Miz twice because she knows he'd never hit her back, but Maryse will. They called the Danielsons an irrelevant couple. Miz told his wife she was the best and she responded, "I know." They were great together.
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse.
Miz and Maryse were great at driving the babyfaces nuts early on, including Maryse teasing she would face Brie only to tag out. Bryan began working over Miz with a Dragon Screw Legwhip and a top rope rana. Bryahn locked in the Yes Lock but Maryse broke it up. Brie gave chase but the referee stopped it. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale but Bryan used a forward roll for a two count. Bryan nailed a series of dropkicks in the corner but missed one and crashed and burned. Bryan grabbed at his head.
Miz locked on a side headlock while verbally knocking Brie as he made her watch. What a great heel. Miz worked him over with shoulderblocks in the corner, then began drilling him with Yes Kicks as the fans yelled "No!" That was great. Bryan worked over Miz and knocked him off the top into the ring. Bryan went for a flying headbutt but missed. Bryan almost made the tag out to his wife but Miz peppered him with punches. Miz was tossed to the outside and Bryan finally made the tag, forcing Maryse to finally enter the match.
Miz got in the way to prevent it, so Brie said the hell with it and attacked Miz with punches before hitting a sliding kick through his legs to Maryse on the floor. Brie beat the heck out of Maryse. Bryan nailed Miz off the apron and hit a flying knee to the floor. Brie tossed Maryse back into the ring and tackled her. Brie hit a dropkick off the middle turnbuckle and covered her but Miz broke up the pinfall, pulling Bella off. Bryan attacked Miz and beat him down in the corner with punches. He yelled at Miz that no one touches his wife.
Bryan and Brie hit stereo Yes Kicks on Miz & Mrs. They finally ducked and headed up the aisle, only to be attacked by the Danielsons. Brie tossed Maryse back into the ring and nailed a running knee to the face. She tossed Maryse into Miz, who was knocked to the floor. Brie rolled up Maryse, who rolled through and hooked the tights, scoring the pin.
Your winners, Miz & Maryse!
An entertaining tag bout with Miz and Maryse really shining as heels.
The latest medical update on Jeff Hardy is he's throwing up blood.
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