AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose: Winner and Reaction for WWE TLC 2016

AJ Styles retained the WWE World Championship Sunday at TLC, defeating rival Dean Ambrose in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs main event. 

Styles received a helping hand from an unlikely source: James Ellsworth. Ambrose incapacitated Styles with Dirty Deeds on the ring steps outside the ring. He looked set to grab the title belt, but Ellsworth pushed the ladder over, sending Ambrose crashing into two tables. WWE shared a replay of Ambrose's fall:

That allowed Styles to climb the ladder and retrieve the championship.

WWE correspondent Cathy Kelley wants answers from Ellsworth:

"

why james whyyyyyyyyy

— Cathy Kelley (@catherinekelley) December 5, 2016"

WrestleZone didn't like the ending but enjoyed the match as a whole:

As ESPN.com's Brian Campbell tweeted, Styles put on a show despite his tights getting ripped midway through the match:

There was no love lost between Styles and Ambrose entering the pay-per-view, as they have been at odds for months with the world title hanging in the balance.

It started at Backlash on Sept. 11 when The Phenomenal One became world champ for the first time by beating Ambrose with the aid of a low blow when the referee was incapacitated.

The Lunatic Fringe got a rematch at No Mercy on Oct. 9, but it was as part of a Triple Threat match that also involved John Cena. Styles won by using a steel chair on Cena, but Ambrose continued his pursuit of the championship he felt was stolen from him.

SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon and general manager Daniel Bryan gave him a chance to earn another title shot if he could defeat Styles in a match, but he was foiled when Ellsworth hit Styles with No Chin Music, which gave The Phenomenal One the disqualification win.

McMahon and Bryan gave the unstable Superstar one final opportunity, though, and he came through with a victory, as Ellsworth redeemed himself by lending a helping hand.

Following Ambrose's triumph, McMahon and Bryan officially announced the TLC main event on Talking Smack, as seen in this video courtesy of WWE's Twitter account:

Before that could happen, however, Styles and Ambrose had to team up at Survivor Series along with Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and McMahon in a traditional five-on-five elimination match against Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman of Raw.

Not surprisingly, Styles and Ambrose brawled with each other, and Ambrose helped Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns put The Phenomenal One through a table, which only added to the hatred between them and made things even more interesting entering TLC.

As payback, Styles assaulted Ambrose and Ellsworth on the go-home edition of SmackDown ahead of TLC, which resulted in Ellsworth getting stretchered from the arena.

Styles and Ambrose are two of the best all-around Superstars in WWE, and they displayed a ton of chemistry together in their meetings prior to TLC.

There was arguably more excitement regarding their TLC match than any of their previous encounters, though, because of the hardcore stipulation.

Styles excels as a high-flyer, which made the use of ladders something to watch for, while Ambrose's unpredictability combined with the involvement of weapons meant almost anything could happen.

Both Superstars put on a great show Sunday and risked their bodies with a number of dangerous spots, but it was Styles who came away with the title still in tow.  

One can only assume that Sunday's result signaled the end, and while it is unclear who would step up as the next challenger, a returning Cena or The Undertaker are always waiting in the wings.

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