During the WWE championship match between Daniel Bryan & AJ Styles at the SmackDown house show in Omaha, Nebraska yesterday (Jan. 20), the second rope broke:
When the @WWE ring breaks during @WWEDanielBryan and @AJStylesOrg ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #Oops #WWEOmaha pic.twitter.com/oalOCC7Ckw
— Smalls (@smallsradio) January 21, 2019
A stage malfunction like that might throw some performers off, but these guys are old pros. Styles grabs a mic to work the rope break into the ongoing all-American carnivore vs. consumption-hating vegan rivalry - complete with cheap pop:
Middle rope broke during the @AJStylesOrg Daniel Bryan match. #WWELive #WWEOMAHA pic.twitter.com/HgBOIWVfds
— Jake Wasikowski (@jakewasikowski) January 21, 2019
And, of course, it wasn’t long before the rope came into play:
AJ AND BRYAN BROKE THE RING SO BRYAN STARTED BEATING AJ WITH THE ROPES IM- @AJStylesOrg @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/BiKooNWM3K
— danielle (@toosweetmox) January 21, 2019
The middle rope snapped shortly after the match started, but shoutout to @AJStylesOrg & @WWEDanielBryan for still putting on a barn burner of a match! #WWEOmaha #WWELive pic.twitter.com/fULtHfBq3p
— • m a r i a • (@mariarosehansen) January 21, 2019
Bryan would go on to retain his title, presumably through nefarious means followed by AJ getting the last laugh somehow, cause house show. The rope issue would be addressed, as pics and videos shared of the rest of the action - including a main event Triple Threat between Women’s champ Asuka, Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair - included the standard three rope set-up.
It’s a good reminder that anything can happen at a WWE Live event, and wrestlers - especially guys like AJ and DB who’ve worked more than a few indies with less-than-optimal equipment - know how to handle almost all of it.