A.J Styles retains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt after withstanding the challenge of both Dean Ambrose and John Cena in a triple-threat match at No Mercy Sunday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
Styles, in his first reign as the WWE champion, tapped out after Cena and Ambrose applied their submission moves on the champions at the same time.
However, due to the technicality, Style was allowed to compete in the match and managed to retain the championship after hitting Cena with a steel chair and pinning the 15-time champ in the process.
Being the first match of the PPV event is a bit odd, but the match was an entertaining championship affair nonetheless with each competitor getting their big moments.
Lords of Pain Marc Middleton provides a complete blow-by-blow commentary on the match.
We go right to the ring and out comes John Cena to a very mixed reactions. Dean Ambrose is out next to a pop. WWE World Champion AJ Styles is out next as we get a lengthy video package and formal ring introductions from Greg Hamilton.
The bell rings and we get some trash talking between the three to start. They all look for an early win with finisher attempts. Ambrose beasts Cena down and takes him from corner to corner, also knocking AJ back. They go to the floor and Ambrose works Cena into the barrier. He slams AJ's head into the announce table. Ambrose goes for an elbow off the apron to Cena but Cena catches him and rams him into the ring post. AJ leaps out and takes Cena down with a forearm. AJ brings it back in and stands tall over Cena. AJ goes at it with Ambrose now. Cena nails a German suplex on both of them at the same time. Styles knocks Ambrose off the apron. Cena catapults AJ into the corner. Cena drops AJ over his shoulder and covers for a 2 count. Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment but AJ lands on his feet and nails a pele kick.
More back and forth. Styles drops both opponents with a DDT. Styles with a 2 count on Ambrose and then a 2 count on Cena. AJ ends up back-dropping Ambrose to the floor and he hits the steel steps on the way down. Styles goes back to work on Cena now. Cena counters. Cena goes on and gets another 2 count. Cena goes for a super AA from the corner but AJ turns it into a powerbomb for a 2 count. Cena and AJ go at it now. AJ catches Cena in a sleeper hold. Cena reverses and gets AJ in the sleeper.
Ambrose with a sleeper on Cena now. It's broken and Cena eventually comes back with the shoulders and his usual moves. AJ stops the Five Knuckle Shuffle and hits a German. AJ goes on and covers for a 2 count on Cena. Ambrose drops AJ on his face for a 2 count. Ambrose goes to the floor. Cena goes to work on AJ. Ambrose comes off the top with an elbow on Cena for a 2 count. AJ comes off the top and nails Cena as well. AJ blocks Dirty Deeds. AJ climbs up for a Frankensteiner and hits it but Ambrose kicks out at 2. AJ counters and rolls Ambrose up for another 2 count. They both go down and Ambrose covers for a 2 count. Cena re-enters the ring to some boos.
Cena with the Shuffle on both opponents at the same time. Cena hits the AA on AJ. AJ rolls to the floor. Ambrose comes over with a Dirty Deeds attempt but Cena counters and hits him with the AA. Ambrose kicks out at 2. Cena gets the STF on Ambrose. Ambrose starts fading as AJ breaks the hold. AJ counters on the apron and nails a snap suplex to Cena on the apron. AJ springboards in and nails the 450 on Ambrose for a close 2 count. AJ springboards in again but Ambrose catches him. AJ blocks Dirty Deeds and hits the Styles Clash. Cena breaks a pin attempt and puts Styles in the STF. Ambrose stops AJ's hand from tapping. Ambrose beats on Cena and breaks the hold now.
Ambrose works over Cena and AJ now. Cena scoops both opponents at the same time for an AA but they avoid it. Everything falls apart as Cena goes down via Styles kick and Ambrose nails a big clothesline on AJ. Ambrose takes Styles up for a super Dirty Deeds but Cena powerbombs Ambrose to the mat for a 2 count. AJ nails a crossbody on Cena but Cena rolls through and stands up. Cena picks AJ up for the AA but AJ rolls out and applies the Calf Crusher. Ambrose eventually breaks it. More back and forth. Ambrose gets a Calf Crusher applied on Styles now. Cena comes over and applies the STF on Styles while Ambrose has Styles in a hold at the same time. AJ taps.
After the submission, the referee continues the match. Cena and Ambrose argue in the middle of the ring. Cena decks Ambrose and they go at it. Cena nails a huge clothesline. Cena goes for an AA but Ambrose counters and nails Dirty Deeds. Styles pulls the referee out of the ring and keeps the match going. Ambrose comes out and AJ ends up thrown over the German announce table. Ambrose goes back in and goes to the top but Cena cuts him off. Cena hits the super AA but AJ runs in and nails Cena with a steel chair. AJ covers Cena for the win.
Full highlights of John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles match will be posted below once available.