At the start of Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, AJ Styles challenged CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship, setting up a highly anticipated main event. However, their first one-on-one encounter in a WWE ring was disrupted by Finn Balor, who interfered after losing to Punk in Ireland recently and being expelled from Judgment Day earlier that night.
Before Balor’s interruption, Punk and Styles showcased an evenly matched battle. Punk landed a powerful knee in the corner, followed by a bulldog and a Shining Wizard, while Styles countered with an Ushigoroshi to avoid Punk’s Go To Sleep finisher. Both wrestlers took to the top rope, with Punk delivering a flying elbow and locking Styles in an Anaconda Vice submission. Punk then hit his finishing move, the GTS, outside the ring as Styles attempted a high-risk maneuver from the apron. Though Styles nearly got counted out, he returned to hit a Styles Clash and aimed for the Phenomenal Forearm, which Punk managed to counter. The match ended in chaos when Balor launched an attack on Punk, leading to a disqualification. Balor attempted to slam Punk into the ring barricade and delivered three Coupe de Gras moves, leaving Balor standing tall as both Styles and Punk lay incapacitated outside the ring as Raw came to a close.
Fan Take: This dramatic finish shakes up the WWE landscape, adding fuel to ongoing rivalries and setting up potential new storylines involving Balor, Punk, and Styles. For WWE fans, it promises exciting developments ahead and keeps the championship scene unpredictable and thrilling.
