'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
This week's episode of SmackDown saw 3 Money In The Bank qualifying matches but only a brief appearance by WWE Champion AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. We learned earlier in the night that Styles and Nakamura were not fit to compete after their No DQ match at the Backlash PPV.
In case you didn't know...
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura faced each other for the third time in WWE at Backlash last Sunday. Styles and Nakamura took a heavy toll on each other during the No DQ match with even resulted in AJ getting busted open after ricocheting chair struck him in the face.
The match ended in a double countout after both men hit each other with a simultaneous low blow. One thing is for sure, this feud isn't over just yet.
The heart of the matter
The dark main-event of SmackDown saw AJ Styles defend the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. Styles ended up winning the match and retaining his WWE Championship.
We haven't seen the last of this feud yet and the last chapter could come at the Money In The Bank PPV.
What's next?
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura look set to continue their feud heading into the MITB PPV in June. With a No DQ match not producing a result, we could see another gimmick match for them - possibly a cage match.
Author's take
Styles and Nakamura are two of the best performers on the SmackDown roster right now. Their matches have gotten progressively better after their first lacklustre match at WrestleMania. The feud has also been helped by Nakamura's low-blow rich heel turn.
