WWE News: AJ Styles surpasses CM Punk for cumulative days as WWE Champion

What's the story?

No one thought that AJ Styles would have the kind of success that he's found in the WWE. Not only has he been a top star in the company, but he's carried Smackdown Live since the brand split, and has held the WWE Championship for over 400 days. Today, the Phenomenal One surpassed a record held by a certain Voice of the Voiceless.

In case you didn't know...

CM Punk only held the WWE Championship two times during his run in the WWE. While his first reign only lasted for 28 days, his second go with the title lasted for an astounding 434 days. Punk's reign atop the WWE roster was incredible, filled with title defenses against the likes of Alberto Del Rio, John Cena, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan, just to name a few.

Punk was a star that many fans felt would never get the run he deserved but ended up holding the WWE Championship longer than any competitor since the company's Golden Era. And just like the Best in the World, a certain Phenomenal One shocked the WWE Universe with the amount of time he's had on top.

The heart of the matter

Since winning the WWE Championship on the November 7th edition of Smackdown Live back in 2017, AJ Styles has held the title for 322 days and counting. However, his first reign lasted for 140 days, bringing his combined total to 462 days and counting. With that, Styles has become the 12th longest-reigning WWE Champion with combined reigns, surpassing CM Punk.

Styles will defend his title against Samoa Joe at WWE Super Show-Down, but if he can last for a few more months, he will officially pass Randy Savage and Stone Cold Steve Austin on that list, with Savage's combined days sitting at 520, and the Rattlesnake's topping off at 529.

AJ Styles is on the brink of becoming one of the longest reigning WWE Champions of all time, both single reign and combined. Who would've thought that Mr. TNA would become one of the WWE's most successful superstars?

What's next?

AJ Styles will defend the WWE Championship against Samoa Joe at WWE Super Show-Down. If he can escape the brutality of the Submission Machine, he'll move on to either Daniel Bryan or The Miz, depending on who wins the #1 Contender's match that night.

It's great to see AJ Styles continue to rise through the record books in the WWE. The man that many consider this generation's Shawn Michaels definitely deserves to be regarded as one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time, and it looks like he's already in that conversation.

Will AJ Styles survive Samoa Joe? Will he hold the WWE Title longer than a year? Let us know what you think in the comments!