WWE Backlash 2017 results: AJ Styles falls through announce table, loses U.S. title match against Kevin Owens

It was the Face That Runs The Place against The New Face of America at Backlash in Chicago tonight (May 21).

Kevin Owens came to SmackDown with the United States championship last month in the Superstar Shake-Up and, after finishing some business with his former best friend Chris Jericho, was looking to start an iconic run with the red, white & blue belt. He didn’t count on former World champ AJ Styles being his next challenger.

Suddenly, there was some doubt about how long KO’s second U.S. title reign might be. And fans of the blue brand had a big time feud on their hands.

Reactions to the build were mixed, but once the combatants were in the ring as the third-to-last match at Allstate Arena, the crowd was amped for Owens/Styles. And firmly on the Phenomenal One’s side, even repping Jericho with a “Stupid Idiot” chant at KO.

When neither man was able to gain an advantage in the early going, Owens rolled out. Questions about Styles leg (attacked by the champ last Tuesday) were answered when he put KO down with a big dropkick to take control. But the Prizefighter pounced when AJ missed a charge to the corner, and took the veteran to the mat and began to wear Styles down.

A series of strikes set-up a big facebuster from AJ, and a nearfall. Styles couldn’t believe that, or a follow up neckbreaker, didn’t put Owens away.

The pace picked up, as KO dodged a springboard manuever to hit a pumphandle neckbreaker of his own, by the Phenomenal One was going out like that, either. Things got high risk when Owens considered leaping from the top turnbuckle onto the floor, but AJ caught him and set up for an apron Styles Clash. The champ slipped away and whipped the injured leg into the post, and from there he targeted the appendage with all manner of offense.

In desperation, Styles won a struggle on the second rope and landed a big powerbomb. But when he went to follow-up with the Phenomenal Forearm, his right leg buckled under him. AJ would still manage to kick out when Owens followed with a big DDT. Taunts from a frustrated champ got him a Pele Kick, but the challenger could barely walk.

High impact suplexes were traded, including a brutal looking one where Owens landing spine first on the apron. While AJ tried to get KO back in the ring, Owens threw him into the timekeeper’s area... but Styles FLEW back into frame with a Phenomenal Forearm! Trying to end it with a Styles Clash on the announce table...

... AJ fell through a monitor opening. The champ slide back into the ring as the referee counted ten, and the belt stays with the New Face of America.

Owens wasn’t done, however. With AJ still hung up in the table, KO gave him one last parting kick for good measure.

Something tells me this isn’t over.

Get complete Backlash results and coverage of every match on the card by clicking here.