Ranking AJ Styles' 5 best WWE WrestleMania matches

#2 AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon (WWE WrestleMania 33)

AJ Styles and Shane McMahon opened WWE WrestleMania 33 in 2017

In addition to several WWE achievements during his career, AJ Styles got to open a WrestleMania event. The former WWE Champion started the WrestleMania 33 pay-per-view event against Shane McMahon in 2017.

Despite Shane McMahon's propensity for gimmick matches, his clash against AJ Styles was a traditional wrestling match. The storyline heading into the match between AJ Styles and Shane McMahon was that the SmackDown commissioner was unable to out-wrestle the former WWE Champion.

Without the use of weapons, Hell in a Cells, trash cans or announce tables, Shane McMahon was useless in the eyes of The Phenomenal One. Before the bout, it's fair to say that most within the WWE Universe probably agreed with AJ Styles' assessment.

Coast. To. Coast. #WrestleMania @shanemcmahon @AJStylesOrg pic.twitter.com/vyXTRwfrLq

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2017

However, the match that opened WrestleMania was a pleasant surprise to fans in the stadium and those watching at home. Shane McMahon and AJ Styles began with traditional technical wrestling before a referee bump opened up the use of trash cans and other weapons. Ironically, these were introduced by AJ Styles.

The #Phenomenal @AJStylesOrg & @shanemcmahon will stop at NOTHING to have the final say at #WrestleMania! #RiseToTheOccasion @DiGiornoPizza pic.twitter.com/oPNDP5iKxx

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2017

The match culminated in Shane McMahon attempting to hit a shooting star press off the top rope but missing. AJ Styles then hit McMahon with a devastating Phenomenal Forearm for his first ever WrestleMania victory.

The match was far better than many imagined it would be and was arguably the best contest of the night. It is certainly up there among the best WrestleMania opening matches in history.