WWE SummerSlam 2017 results: AJ Styles retains US title despite repeated referee shenanigans

Incompetent officiating has been the black mark on the AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens feud, so Shane McMahon got involved to special guest referee their US title match at tonight’s (Sun., Aug. 20, 2017) SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

I hesitate to call his work here competent but he was impartial.

Right away, McMahon had to intervene when the two attacked each other before the bell rang. He stayed out of it for a while after — though watching him react to the action in the ring was really fun — until Styles hit him with a 450 splash on accident. That helped him avoid a three count not long after.

Just a short time later, Owens kicked Styles into McMahon, who fell outside the ring, and AJ used the Calf Crusher to get a submission win.

Well, Owens tapped.

But Shane O’Mac, of course, wasn’t there to see it.

That resulted in a brief shoving match but nothing came of it. Still later, Owens, after a Pop up Powerbomb, pinned Styles for a three count. McMahon looked up and immediately noticed AJ’s leg on the rope and called it a two count.

Cue another shoving match, this time between Shane and KO.

A short time later, Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm and followed it up with the Styles Clash to retain the United States championship.

Get complete SummerSlam results and coverage here.