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For the first time in what's felt like forever, it looked like John Cena would lose a series of matches to a hot heel act opposing him in AJ Styles.Tonight (Sun., Aug. 21, 2016) at SummerSlam at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, we found out.
Yep!
They played this up like a main event level match, worked in the same style. That is to say, Styles was treated like a heavy hitter with Cena going toe-to-toe with him every step of the way and, yes, spamming finishers. Which slugger would land that big money shot?
You didn't think the first Styles Clash would get a pin, did you?
#StylesClash CONNECTS for @AJStylesOrg, but it's only good enough for a 2-count! #SummerSlam #CenavsStyles pic.twitter.com/hj8QffYjyc
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2016
Cena started breaking out MOVEZ:
Modified cutter by Cena! #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/FyU9XBXIgY
— DTAM (@DeathToAllMarks) August 22, 2016
Code Red by Cena! Nice of Mauro to sneak in the move name as well. #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/oaSKfItZmZ
— DTAM (@DeathToAllMarks) August 22, 2016
They started trading finishes, so you knew they were thinking epic. Then they were reversing submissions and countering a crossface into an AA into a calf crusher into an STF. None of this came anywhere close to actually ending the match, but you could feel it coming.
The first Phenomenal Forearm came and it certainly felt like the end.
But Cena kicked out.
Cena decided he needed to go to the second rope to hit his next AA to finish off Styles.
But AJ kicked out.
Cena's response to this was a mix of shock and confusion. But he went back in for another AA only to get reversed into a Styles Clash. AJ didn't even try to pin him. Instead, he went for the Phenomenal Forearm, connected, and THEN covered.
1.
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AJ Styles just beat up John Cena.
Again.
For complete SummerSlam results and coverage of every match on the card click here.