A dream match turned into disappointment after SmackDown went off the air.
AJ Styles faced World Heavyweight Champion Gunther in a dark match Friday night. The bout was a street fight, which seemed odd given that neither man is currently involved in a storyline with the other, nor do they have a past feud to draw from.
In the closing moments of an otherwise tame affair, Styles dropped Gunther with a Pelé kick. The champion stumbled to his feet, backing the referee into the corner. Styles charged forward,
but Gunther sidestepped, forcing Styles to pull up just in time to avoid colliding with the official.
Gunther seized the moment and quickly rolled up Styles for a pin. However, Styles appeared to lift his shoulder before the referee’s hand came down for three. Nonetheless, the bell rang immediately, and Gunther was declared the winner.
Some of the AJ Styles and Gunther match! pic.twitter.com/WbSWkDCx9k
— Bella Lundi (@IsabellaLundi) July 26, 2025
It was unclear whether the finish was intentional or a miscue. Either way, fans inside Cleveland’s Rocket Arena booed the decision.
Perhaps sensing the need to win back the fans, Gunther attacked Styles after the match. Then, as he attempted to superplex Styles through a table branded with the Slim Jim logo, Styles slipped under Gunther’s legs and drove him through the table with a powerbomb to the delight of the crowd.
Afterward, Styles posed with the championship before dropping it on Gunther’s limp body.
Despite the lukewarm finish, the post-match table spot gave fans — and Slim Jim — their money’s worth.
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