AJ Styles became Intercontinental Champion for the first time this Friday on SmackDown after defeating Daniel Bryan in a superb encounter.
Because the match was pre-taped, early buzz suggested that fans would see an absolute clinic from two of the best wrestlers in the world, and that's exactly what we got.
Things went back and forth for a while as both men traded stiff shots and counters, matching each other hold for hold. Bryan focused on the arm, Styles worked on the knee, and that ultimately paid dividends for the Phenomenal One. Daniel was unable to capitalize on his Running Knee, allowing AJ to counter into a Styles Clash and finally keep his opponent down for a 3-count with a Phenomenal Forearm.
This bout more than lived up to expectations, and made an otherwise run-of-the-mill episode of SmackDown worth watching. We hope these guys step into the ring together again at some point, but we're hearing whispers that Matt Riddle might enter right into the IC Title picture when he debuts next week, so be sure to tune in.