AJ Styles Beats Historic WWE Rival For The First Time In 56 Months
The fans at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada, were possibly treated to the penultimate WWE match of AJ Styles’ legendary career, tonight at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Gunther challenged Styles to put his career on the line against the Ring General at Royal Rumble, to which the Phenomenal One agreed. His decision was met with much surprise by a lot of superstars.
Styles’ former foe and fellow Japanese wrestling legend, Shinsuke Nakamura, challenged him to a match tonight to prove that AJ is still phenomenal, before he faces Gunther in arguably the biggest match of his career.
AJ Styles beats Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE SNME
The former NJPW stars ran back the years as they produced another classic clash tonight, which saw both of them take control at various points in the match.
Shinsuke Nakamura was in control for most of the match as he unleashed more attacks on Styles before AJ caught him in a calf crusher after targeting his left knee. Both wrestlers pushed each other to their limit during their encounter tonight.
To: Gunther
From: AJ Styles
AJ sending a message to The Ring General 👀 pic.twitter.com/VNcYirznQ1
— WWE (@WWE) January 25, 2026
Nakamura’s knee kept causing him trouble following AJ’s attack. He looked to hit a Kinshasa on Styles, but his knee gave way, allowing Styles to hit one of his own, but Shinsuke broke the pin as he caught hold of the rope.
Nakamura got back into the match briefly but Styles sent him knee-first into the turnbuckle before snapping his knee on the top rope. He followed that up with a Phenomenal Foreman and a Styles Clash to get the win in what could be his penultimate clash. It marked his first win over his iconic rival, with the last one coming in 56 months ago, in May 2020.is
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