Before the bout, WrestleMania's hosts The New Day opened the show. The trio hyped up the crowd, joking around each other.
AJ Styles toyed with Shane McMahon as he outwrestled him.
The SmackDown commissioner agitated Styles with rapid strikes. The Phenomenal One blasted his opponent in response.
After suffering a flurry from McMahon, Styles favored his left leg.
The two men grappled on the ground, McMahon surprising his foe with his wrestling skill. The referee took a blow to the head during the clash. Styles used that as an opening to bring trash cans into the ring.
Shane O'Mac ended up using the weapons himself.
An errant diving elbow drop left McMahon vulnerable, as did a failed Shooting Star Press. Styles pounced with a Phenomenal Forearm for the victory.
Styles wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- The New Day dons Final Fantasy-inspired gear.
- "I'm going to embarrass him."—Styles.
- Styles mimics McMahon's stutter-step dance.
- Styles dropkicks McMahon over the announce table.
- "AJ Styles has woken up in the middle of a fight."—JBL.
- McMahon counters a 450 splash with a triangle choke.
- McMahon clocks Styles in midair with a trashcan, following up with Coast to Coast.
- McMahon misses a Shooting Star Press.
Styles and McMahon delivered a stunt show teeming with fun.
The official opener had the right amount of car crash-like moments. Shane O'Mac overachieved; Styles was masterful.
The story worked well, too. McMahon played the scrappy, tough-as-nails dark horse opposite the overconfident Styles.
McMahon's toughness was unrealistic at times, but it didn't derail the action too much. Him kicking out of the Styles Clash will have fans bickering in debate.
And as good as this was, one has to wonder what Styles could have done with a performer on the same tier as him.
