AJ Styles Beats Daniel Bryan, Will Defend WWE Title vs. Samoa Joe at Crown Jewel

AJ Styles defeated Daniel Bryan on Tuesday to retain the WWE Championship in an impromptu match on SmackDown Live.

Styles delivered the Styles Clash to Bryan and forced him to tap out in the Calf Crusher.

Styles and Bryan were originally supposed to face off at Crown Jewel on Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon showed up to say he wasn't going to wait until Friday.

In reality, McMahon's decision was likely a way to write Bryan out of Crown Jewel. Barstool Sports' Robbie Fox reported earlier this month that Bryan and John Cena were "refusing" to work the show. WWE replaced Cena with Bobby Lashley in its World Cup at Crown Jewel on Raw.

Instead of Bryan, Styles looks to be on a collision course with Samoa Joe in Saudi Arabia after Joe attacked him Tuesday night.

Styles and Bryan have long been considered two of the best wrestlers in the world, and they had a chance to prove their status in a long-awaited match on SmackDown Live.

While Bryan and Styles did face each other on SmackDown Live in a non-title match shortly after Bryan's return in April, that was only an appetizer for what fans got to witness Tuesday.

At Super Show-Down in Melbourne, Australia, Bryan faced The Miz with the winner earning a shot at the WWE Championship in the future.

Bryan won a quick match with a small package to set the stage for a clash with Styles after The Phenomenal One beat Samoa Joe to retain.

While Bryan and Styles made it clear that they had a great deal of respect for each other, The Miz tried to stir up some controversy on Miz TV.

It may have worked, as Bryan and Styles were at odds in the weeks leading up to Crown Jewel.

Bryan and Styles teamed to face The Usos on SmackDown 1000, but Bryan accidentally hit Styles, leading to The Usos picking up the victory.

In a rematch the following week, Styles inadvertently caught Bryan with a Pele Kick, and The Usos prevailed once again.

They both insisted that they didn't mean to hit each other, but Bryan and Styles were skeptical of each other given the nature of their match scheduled for Crown Jewel.

The tension likely helped add a big-fight feel to a match that was already huge because of the fact that the WWE Championship was on the line.

Despite their respect for one another, Styles and Bryan didn't hold back in a bout that fans have been clamoring for constantly over the years.

Even though Styles managed to leave SmackDown Live with his nearly yearlong reign intact, Bryan doesn't figure to stray far from the title scene anytime soon. He may have to go through Samoa Joe, though, to get another crack at Styles.

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