#5 Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles
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This match stems from AJ Styles winning multiple matches to face the WWE Champion at WrestleMania, but having these opportunities stripped away from him at every turn.
AJ lost his Championship to John Cena at the Royal Rumble but did not get his rematch due to being entered into the Elimination Chamber. He was promised a one-on-one title match should he not be successful. Bray Wyatt ended up capturing the gold at this event.
Styles was then put into a triple threat match with Cena and Wyatt for the title, but The Eater of Worlds retained the gold despite the odds being against him. Due to Randy Orton’s allegiance with Bray at the time, he denounced his main event at WrestleMania that he’d earned at the Royal Rumble.
Due to this, a number one contender Battle Royal was set up. It was declared a draw, with the referees unable to agree on whether Styles or Luke Harper were eliminated first. This led to a singles match between the two to settle on Wyatt’s opponent.
AJ Styles pinned Harper but it was marred by controversy as Harper’s foot was on the rope. Shane McMahon restarted things and Styles once again pinned Bray’s former follower. This would have meant AJ Styles was to face Wyatt at WrestleMania, but Orton switched allegiances, meaning his match with Wyatt was back on, and Styles was frozen out once again.
Nevertheless, Styles would get another shot, as the number one contendership was put on the line against Orton in a match on SmackDown Live. Orton came away victorious, and AJ Styles took his anger out on Shane McMahon.
After some heated words on SmackDown and Talking Smack, AJ would attack Shane McMahon in the parking lot, sending his head careering through a car window, resulting in lacerations. He was fired by Daniel Bryan, but Shane reversed the decision, challenging the Phenomenal One to a match at WrestleMania.
Last night, we saw Styles accept and come off worse in an impromptu brawl with the SmackDown commissioner, as Shane rolled back the years and put the former Champ through the announcer’s table with a flying elbow!
This match should be relatively good. Expect Shane McMahon to pull off a daring spot but don’t expect the match to be a technical masterclass like Cena/Styles was at the Rumble. Ultimately, AJ Styles should have been given a better match at this year’s event, but Shane is known for being able to put on a show.
If Styles picks up the victory, it will give him great momentum going into the new wrestling year, and hopefully get him right back in the WWE Championship picture where he belongs.
