James Ellsworth added to his legend tonight when he pinned WWE World Champion AJ Styles on SmackDown Live in San Jose, California. It was a non-title match, sure, and special guest referee Dean Ambrose helped him along, yeah, but he won and that’s all that matters.
Actually, what really matters is the fact that he made it out alive after tucking his head while taking the Styles Clash:
No James! Don't tuck your... don't put your head down like that! @realellsworth pic.twitter.com/x00Kc8lYUl
— WrasslorMonkey (@WrasslorMonkey) October 12, 2016
DO NOT TUCK YOUR HEAD TAKING THE STYLES CLASH.
Others who have done so before have either narrowly escaped serious injury, like Roderick Strong, or suffered a broken neck, as was the case with Lionheart and Yoshitatsu. There was a time when some were calling for Styles to stop using the move because of how dangerous it is, citing the fact that a wrestler’s natural instinct is to tuck their head while taking it.
One might argue that its history adds to its mystique as a finisher and the overwhelming majority of wrestlers who have taken it have escaped unharmed. That said, even one broken neck is too many.
It’s worth repeating: DON’T TUCK YOUR HEAD TAKING THE STYLES CLASH.