Even by the chaotic standards of the Superstar Shake-up, AJ Styles’ arrival on Raw was something of a stunner. After all, SmackDown LIVE is The House That AJ Styles Built, and even if you don’t buy that hype, the blue brand is unquestionably where The Phenomenal One built his WWE legend. But there he was, flying at the flank of Universal Champion Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns as their mystery partner against Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin & Bobby Lashley, outfoxing anyone and everyone to such a degree that it took an illicit Claymore from McIntyre to slow him down.
The interference kicked off a frantic scramble in the match’s waning moments, but Rollins & Reigns were right there to bail Styles out after he was leveled by Lashley. The Universal Champion Stomped The All Mighty as he attempted the pinfall, Reigns followed up with a bone-rattling Spear, and Styles finished things off with a swooping Phenomenal Forearm to pin Lashley. Take nothing away from Lashley, who required three signature maneuvers to be defeated. But the first night of the Superstar Shake-up was unquestionably the AJ Styles Show in its waning moments. All that’s left is to see how things shake out tomorrow.