WWE Champion AJ Styles def. Samoa Joe

MELBOURNE, Australia – With matters as personal as they could be, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe both entered the Melbourne Cricket Ground with two thoughts in mind: Inflicting pain on the other and leaving as WWE Champion. Both Superstars would accomplish the first, but it was The Phenomenal One who ultimately walked out of the MCG with his thirst for retaliation quenched and the WWE Title still around his waist.

Chaos ruled early and often in this “No Disqualification, No Count Out, There Must be a Winner” contest. Determined to get even with The Samoan Submission Machine after he invaded the Styles family home several weeks ago, the champion wasted no time in unloading a relentless assault on his bitter rival, literally sprinting down the aisleway to begin his assault. The early stages of the match saw a little bit of everything, including an onslaught from Joe that included him chucking Styles over the announce table, then nailing the champion with an awe-inspiring dive that sent AJ reeling into the barricade.

Styles would fight back with a tenacious offensive rampage that, at times, managed to knock the monstrous Joe off his feet. The Samoan Submission Machine would continue to persist, though, weathering Styles’ attacks and continually grounding the WWE Champion with a series of high-impact maneuvers. Joe tried taking the match to the next level when he brought a steel chair into the proceedings, but Styles quickly changed the temperature of the contest by dropkicking the chair right into the challenger’s face.

From there, AJ used the chair to his advantage, taking out his frustrations on Joe with several cathartic chair strikes. Samoa Joe countered Styles’ attack with a Yurinagi right onto the seat of the chair, then brought a table into the ring. That plan ultimately backfired, though, as The Phenomenal One managed to viciously slam The Samoan Submission Machine – and himself, in the process – through the table.

Styles’ desperate move did a real number on Samoa Joe’s knee, leaving the challenger in a visible amount of pain. Yet Joe, even after saying his knee had “popped,” wouldn’t allow the official to stop the bout. AJ would proceed with an attack on the downed Joe that was clearly in honor of his family. He refused to let up on his adversary’s knee, doing everything from locking in a Calf Crusher to connecting with a 450 Splash that was targeted specifically for the injured joint.

Styles closed in to finish Joe off, but when he went for what looked like the clinching Phenomenal Forearm, The Samoan Submission Machine countered with a Coquina Clutch and an unbelievable overhead throw. The two battle-weary Superstars continued to go back and forth with an amazing exchange of counters until The Phenomenal One managed to lock in another Calf Crusher. Samoa Joe fended off the pain for as long as he could, but the excruciating agony proved too much, and he finally had to tap out.

Samoa Joe brought hell with him to Melbourne. AJ Styles walked through it, and now he’s coming home with the WWE Championship still around his waist.