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What's the story?
Just a few hours ago, AJ Styles sent out this tweet below to thank the crowd at last night's SmackDown Live in Manchester, UK.
The gratitude was due to their reaction to Styles shockingly beating Jinder Mahal (w/ The Singh Brothers) for the WWE Championship in the main event of the show.
In case you didn't know...
Last Thursday, SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon announced via Twitter that WWE Champion Jinder Mahal would defend his title on the next episode of SD Live in Manchester against 'The Phenomenal One' AJ Styles.
Fast forward a few days later to Tuesday the 7th of November, and Styles won the bout against 'The Modern Day Maharaja' following the use of his Phenomenal Forearm finisher to become the WWE Champion for the second time in his career.
The match made history because it was the first time ever the WWE Championship changed hands outside of North America.
WWE have done many tours in the UK over the years, and the fans in this part of the world are known for being loud and proud with their chants, cheers and boos.
The heart of the matter
When AJ Styles won the WWE Championship last night, the Manchester Arena erupted to a loud pop.
In his tweet, Styles said that from the crowd's reaction to him winning the title one would have thought that he was from the UK.
Styles, who is from Atlanta, Georgia in the US, claimed that because he has spent a lot of time there over the years (especially when he was on the indies), the British fans treat him like 'one of their own', as seen when beat Mahal last night.
For this, Styles thanked Manchester and the rest of the UK.
What's next?
It has been confirmed that the new WWE Champ AJ Styles will face the Universal Champion Brock Lesnar in the SmackDown Live Champion vs. RAW Champion main event match at the Survivor Series PPV on the 19th of November instead of former titleholder Jinder Mahal.
It will be interesting to see when Mahal will get his rematch for the WWE Title against The Phenomenal One.
Styles and the WWE will be back in the UK next May.
Author's take
AJ Styles is one of the most popular WWE Superstars wherever he goes, he is cheered and chanted for. Therefore. I was not surprised at all to see Manchester respond the way they did when Styles won the WWE Championship on SD Live.
The fact this title change was so unexpected and something not seen before in the UK, only meant the audience would be even louder as Styles successfully pinned Mahal.
I can't wait to see The Phenomenal One face The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. It would be amazing if Styles won, but I reckon this match will go to a non-finish.
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