AJ Styles Defeats Japanese Legend In First Non-WWE Match In Eight Years
After departing TNA in 2014, AJ Styles decided to take his talents to Japan, where he joined NJPW to become the new leader of the Bullet Club stable. In the two years he spent in Japan, Styles cemented himself as one of the best wrestlers of his generation, with his work eventually leading him to WWE in 2016. Now thanks to WWE being a bit more open to collaboration, the former WWE Champion was announced to be competing at Pro Wrestling NOAH's Destination event on July 13 against company legend Naomichi Marufuji.
Styles arrived at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo donning the entrance mask he would regularly wear for big events during his tenure with NJPW, before going to war with the former GHC Heavyweight Champion, who despite being in the latter part of his career has proven with matches against the likes of Will Ospreay and Kota Ibushi that he can still dish out enough punishment to get the win. However, after almost 30 minutes of action, the "Phenomenal One" hit the Styles Clash on Marufuji to get the win. Both men showed respect after the bout by shaking hands, bowing, and raising each other's hands.
AJ Styles has defeated Naomichi Marufuji at Destination, really fun match.
Afterwards, AJ and Marufuji traded respect. 🤝
pic.twitter.com/PN8xMz4htX— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) July 13, 2024
Styles will now return to the United States as WWE ramps up the anticipation for its annual SummerSlam Premium Live Event on August 3, a show on which he currently isn't booked. He hasn't wrestled on WWE TV since his loss to Cody Rhodes at Clash at the Castle in Scotland, and will have to find a different route to the Cleveland Browns Stadium in the upcoming weeks. As for Marufuji, he will continue to perform in Pro Wrestling NOAH and the wider independent circuit as one of the company's most esteemed veterans.