AJ Styles Defeats Shinsuke Nakamura in a Classic at Money in the Bank

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura brought their ongoing feud to the Allstate Arena on Sunday night for a Last Man Standing Match at Money in the Bank.

The question is, would this be the conclusion of this recent story or just another chapter?

After trading advantages for the early portion of the match, including fight all over ringside and the Allstate Arena, Nakamura looked to end the match with the Kinshasa toward the end of the bout but ran into a forearm for Styles. Styles followed that up with a fireman’s carry into a neckbreaker.

At this point, the referee’s count started to get more serious, reaching eight until Nakamura reached his feet. Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm but received a kick to the face, sending Styles to the outside and Shinsuke following suit.

They fought near the announce position, with Nakamura dropping Styles across the ringside barricade. At that point, Nakamura cleared off one of the announce tables to set up a move. He then suplexed Styles on top of the table but it didn’t break.

Nakamura then ran across the two other announce tables until he reached Styles, giving him a Kinshasa on top of the announce table. The referee began the count,b ut Styles reached his feet by nine.

They fought back into the ring, with Nakamura introducing a table that he set up in the middle of the ring. Nakamura positioned AJ on the top rope and went for a superplex, but Styles countered by slipping down and going for a powerbomb. Nakamura was able to fight out of the attempt, tipping over the table in the process. Nakamura then dropped Styles over the edge of the table.

Nakamura set-up the table in a corner of the ring next and tossed Styles threw it in particularly brutal fashion. Surprisingly, Styles was still able to reach his feet before the 10 count.

At this point, a turnbuckle was exposed for future use as Nakamura continued to work over Styles. He went for a running knee in the corner, but Styles dodged it and Nakamura’s knee hit the exposed turnbuckle.

Styles worked over Nakamura a little bit until the ref began another ten count. Nakamura answered the count and immediately found himself in a Calf Crusher. As Nakamura tapped, the announcers noted that it doesn’t matter in a Last Man Standing Match. Styles went to his feet as the referee again began a 10 count, but Nakamura was able to answer by eight despite selling the leg.

As Nakamura rolled to the outside, Nakamura used a chair to bash-in his injured leg. Then he used it on Nakamura’s head/shoulder and knee again. Nakamura begged Styles off but Styles lifted the chair again, only this time Nakamura gave him a low blow. The referee started the count as Nakamura reached his feet. Styles answered the count at nine.

Nakamura immediately ran in and nailed a Kinshasa (with his damaged knee). Nakamura was slow to his feet but made it as the ref began the ten count. Styles again reached his feet by nine.

At this point, it was clear this was the best match that Nakamura and Styles have had in WWE since beginning their feud at WrestleMania.

Nakamura and Styles went to the top of an announce table. Shinsuke tried to lift him up, but his leg wouldn’t hold up and AJ pushed him off the table. Styles came off the table with a Phenomenal Forearm. He followed that up with a Styles Clash from the ring steps to the floor below. The crowd chanted “holy sh*t” as the ref began the ten count. Nakamura answered the count at 9 1/2.

Nakamura crazily begged for more, and Styles came in and kicked him in a low blow. Styles went into the ring as Nakamura cringed at ringside. Styles springboarded off the top rope to the outside with a Phenomenal Forearm, sending both men through an announce table. The ref counted to 10 as Nakamura was unable to answer the count.

AJ Styles is still your WWE champion after an unbelievable match in Chicago.