From the WWE Rumor Mill: AJ Styles legitimately hurt at WWE Live Event
What’s the story?
We noted how WWE did an injury angle at the beginning of WWE's Live Event in Madison Square Garden on Friday. Styles was attacked by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, taking him out of the planned Tag Team match with him and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Owens and Zayn. It now appears that AJ may have been legitimately injured at the event.
Also Read: AJ Styles misses WWE Live Event due to injury
In case you didn’t know…
The plan at MSG was for Zayne and Owens to attack Styles, which would turn their tag team match into a one-on-one between Shinsuke Nakamura and Kevin Owens. This was to lead to a beat down on Nakamura with Styles making the save and the match being reverted back into a tag team match.
However, although 'The Phenomenal One' did return to aid Nakamura, he was still noticeably limping, and the tag team match did not take place. Styles was scheduled to appear at a SmackDown Live event in Odessa this past Saturday but, did not show up, thus providing further proof that Styles may, in fact, be injured. It is highly possible that Styles suffered this undisclosed injury before the MSG event also.
The heart of the matter
Dave Meltzer discussed the possible injury during Saturday's Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer said fans in Odessa were informed Styles would not be appearing due to an injury and went on to say he would have more information soon. Dave commented on it this past Saturday,saying:
''So last night at Maddison Square Garden it was supposed to be AJ Styles and Nakamura against Kevin Owen and Sami Zayn and it turned into a singles match with Nakamura and Kevin Owens and Sami interfered. AJ did make the save. They actually did an injury angle before but I don't know if that was. People said that they thought it was an injury. The injury probably suffered beforehand and this was an angle set up to cover for it and then tonight in Odessa. Styles wasn't there and they actually announced before the show that Styles was injured in Maddison Square Garden, so that's all I really know now. Don't know the severity. We will probably know more in the morning."
What’s next?
We still don't have any more info on how serious this injury is. We will provide you with an update as soon as we have one.
AJ Styles is still scheduled to defend his WWE Championship with Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania on April 8 in New Orleans.
Author’s take
I really hope it is not as serious as others believe it to be. Styles and Nakamura will have what is likely to be the best match at WrestleMania and one of the best matches of 2018. I think it is possible that the injury is not as serious as currently believed and that WWE is just being extra cautious with Styles, until he is out of the woods. I think it would be wise if he didn't see much in-ring action between now and WrestleMania.