More Details On Murky Situation Surrounding AJ Styles Injury Scare On WWE SmackDown

At the start of the year, no one could've figured that AJ Styles and a potential ankle injury would become such an interesting story. And yet it has ever since Styles' match with Carmelo Hayes ended via referee decision this past Friday with Styles holding his ankle. Initial reports suggested the whole thing was a storyline, and that Styles was fine, but the tone changed on Monday, when the belief emerged that Styles had legitimately injured his ankle.

Now the situation appears to have gotten even murkier. During "Select Answers" report, Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp gave yet another update on Styles' situation. Sapp reiterated that he had been told initially that Styles' injury was a storyline and had been planned. He also confirmed that Styles' friends, WWE writers, and staff had all since been told that Styles' injury was legitimate.

Despite that, Sapp expressed some skepticism about Styles being injured, mostly due to how the situation was handled. Sapp noted that the camera remained on Styles at all times even after he was injured, even though protocol in WWE and AEW involves cutting away when a talent is hurt. In addition, Styles was filmed going to the back, and segments on the show later aired showing him in the trainer's room and leaving the arena on crutches. 

Finally, Sapp pointed out that an update on Styles' condition had been given Jackie Redmond, followed by Styles seemingly responding, another unusual development for a usual injury. As such, Sapp ended his update by stating he wished the best for Styles, and hoped that the ongoing events were part of an angle.