AJ Styles undergoes character change upon return and gets confronted by 30-year-old star on SmackDown

AJ Styles had a whirlwind of 30 minutes upon his return to SmackDown after a hiatus of a few months. He was embraced by the audience, confronted by a 30-year-old star, and subsequently suffered an injury - all in the span of half an hour.

This week, AJ Styles was advertised for his SmackDown return for the first time since saying "I Quit" against Cody Rhodes at Clash at the Castle: Scotland on June 15. Musician, Hardy introduced Styles, hilariously calling him "The Phenomenal Forearm" instead of his usual nickname.

AJ Styles, now a babyface again, was quickly confronted by the rising star, Carmelo Hayes, who always makes his presence known whether anybody likes it or not. Styles pushed him for a match, but Hayes refused until the United States Champion LA Knight came out. He told the 30-year-old that if he won the bout, he would grant him a title shot.

Carmelo Hayes picked up the win due to Styles unfortunately sustaining a leg injury when performing a move. As of this moment, it's unclear whether it was a storyline moment or legitimate.

Either way, Carmelo Hayes seems to be set for a United States Championship shot, while we await further updates on The Phenomenal One.

It's going to be interesting to see what's planned if this is all part of a storyline.

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