After Becky Lynch was pulled from what should have been the Survivor Series main event due to a concussion suffered during Monday Night Raw, the rest of the card was shaken up in a major way Tuesday night during Smackdown.
A brawl between Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles opened the show, which Shane McMahon broke up. Styles and Bryan went at each other yet again, when the Blue Brand’s boss finally had enough of the two stars battling and removed Bryan from Team Smackdown. He then announced a title match for later in the evening.
Before the title bout, Lynch named Charlotte as her replacement against Rousey Sunday night in Los Angeles. Then, in a shocker, Bryan upended Styles to claim only his second WWE championship.
Styles and Bryan traded massive blows, with the champ setting up the challenger for the Styles Clash before he fought out of it. Styles connected on the Pele Kick, then attempted the springboard 450 splash, but Bryan got his knees up. Bryan locked in the Yes Lock, but Styles was able to grab the bottom rope to break it up.
Bryan set up for the Running Knee, but Styles took out his knee and locked in the Calf Crusher. After tapping out just two weeks prior to the same move, Bryan reversed it into an arm bar and turned it into the Yes Lock. Styles worked his way out and launched Bryan into the turnbuckle. Styles tried to hit the Phenomenal Forearm and took out the ref. Bryan connected on a low blow while the ref was out, and hit the Running Knee for the pinfall. He then attacked Styles after the match.
The decision to put the belt on Bryan comes just two weeks after he dropped his title shot against Styles on Smackdown. The title match was pushed up from the Crown Jewel event after Bryan reportedly refused to attend the show in Saudi Arabia.
With the win, the 37-year-old Bryan checks the box of another dream match, this time against Brock Lesnar in what should be a heck of a bout at the annual Smackdown vs. Raw show.
