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AJ Styles defended his WWE Championship against Rusev on Rusev Day at Extreme Rules knowing that Aiden English could be a problem at ringside. Styles has already defended his Championship against all challengers ever since he won the title back in November in the United Kingdom, but Rusev was seen as his toughest task to date, after four back to back pay-per-view matches against Shinsuke Nakamura.
AJ Styles celebrated his 270th day as WWE Champion but defending the title on Rusev Day and went straight after Rusev in the corner, before dropping him with a knee shot. Rusev responded with a clothesline for a one count before Styles countered a suplex attempt and once again went to work on the legs.
Rusev delivered a number of shots to the kidneys followed by a side suplex before he then locked in a bear hug on the Champion. Styles was then hung up on the top rope and managed to escape a superplex attempt by attacking Rusev's legs once again, knocking The Bulgarian Brute to the outside.
After exchanging shots on the outside, the two men returned to the ring and Styles took the upper hand after a number of forearm variations and a reverse DDT for a two count. Styles set up for the Styles Clash but it was countered by Rusev and Styles was then knocked to the outside after a hard shot to the mid-section.
Styles went for the springboard 450, but Rusev rolled out of the way before he was then able to reverse the Calf Crusher into The Accolade but he couldn't quite lock it in after AJ managed to escape.
Styles locked in the Calf Crusher once again but Rusev was able to make it to the bottom rope. A distraction from English allowed Rusev to deliver a belly to belly on the outside followed by the Matchka Kick for another near fall.
Rusev went for the Matchka Kick once again on one leg, but Styles delivered the Pele Kick. Rusev was feeling the effects of the legwork and was unable to lock in The Accolade. Whilst the referee was distracted, English took off the turnbuckle cover but it was Rusev who went into the corner head first and Styles was then able to equalize with the 450.
Styles then dropkicked English at ringside before delivering The Phenomenal Forearm to Rusev to retain his Championship.
AJ Styles defeated Rusev to retain the WWE Championship
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