Date and location

Sunday, Sep 11 | 8 PMET/5 PMPT

The Coliseum
Richmond, VA

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AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose to win the WWE World Championship

AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose to win the WWE World Championship

RICHMOND, Va. — AJ Styles beat Dean Ambrose at Backlash to become WWE World Champion. There’s no question about that. It’s how Styles beat Ambrose, however, that will be questioned for a long time to come.

The two Superstars may have checked all the boxes of an instant classic in this heart-pounding title showdown. Styles couldn’t help but resort to a low-blow to put the champion down and take his title, though.

AJ Styles raises his hands high as the new WWE World Champion: Backlash 2016

The Phenomenal One is SmackDown LIVE's WWE World Champion after a controversial bout against Dean Ambrose.

Before that unfortunate ending, this wild melee saw Styles topple over both the announcer’s table and the barricade, and both men came literally less than a second away from snatching the victory. The Lunatic Fringe connected with Dirty Deeds and The Phenomenal One locked in the Calf Crusher, but neither was able to secure the win.

It was not until Styles snuck in a low-blow — while the referee was temporarily down — and then hit the Styles Clash that was he able to capture his first WWE World Championship.

As Styles celebrated with the championship — his first since arriving at Royal Rumble earlier this year — the feeling in the air seemed different than past champions’ crownings. Styles was as phenomenal as always and his spot atop the mountain was well-earned, but the manner in which he won the most prestigious championship in all of WWE certainly may prove to be, pardon the pun, a low-blow to his legacy.

RICHMOND, Va. — AJ Styles beat Dean Ambrose at Backlash to become WWE World Champion. There’s no question about that. It’s how Styles beat Ambrose, however, that will be questioned for a long time to come.

The two Superstars may have checked all the boxes of an instant classic in this heart-pounding title showdown. Styles couldn’t help but resort to a low-blow to put the champion down and take his title, though.

AJ Styles raises his hands high as the new WWE World Champion: Backlash 2016

The Phenomenal One is SmackDown LIVE's WWE World Champion after a controversial bout against Dean Ambrose.

Before that unfortunate ending, this wild melee saw Styles topple over both the announcer’s table and the barricade, and both men came literally less than a second away from snatching the victory. The Lunatic Fringe connected with Dirty Deeds and The Phenomenal One locked in the Calf Crusher, but neither was able to secure the win.

It was not until Styles snuck in a low-blow — while the referee was temporarily down — and then hit the Styles Clash that was he able to capture his first WWE World Championship.

As Styles celebrated with the championship — his first since arriving at Royal Rumble earlier this year — the feeling in the air seemed different than past champions’ crownings. Styles was as phenomenal as always and his spot atop the mountain was well-earned, but the manner in which he won the most prestigious championship in all of WWE certainly may prove to be, pardon the pun, a low-blow to his legacy.