WWE HIAC: Samoa Joe Vs. AJ Styles (WWE Title Match)

WWE Title Match: Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles

We go to the ring and out first comes Samoa Joe. WWE Champion AJ Styles is out next. Hamilton does formal ring introductions as Joe taunts AJ.

The bell rings and AJ unloads, taking Joe into the corner. Joe turns it around and unloads with strikes. More back and forth. AJ drops Joe with a kick, sending him to the floor for a breather. AJ with a big knee from the apron. AJ with more big moves on the floor, sending Joe into the announce table with double boots. AJ brings it back in and looks to springboard at Joe but Joe sees it and rolls back to the floor. AJ leaps out but Joe knocks him out of the air with a knee. AJ gets up but Joe floors him on the outside. Joe sends AJ into the steel steps now. Joe brings it back into the ring for a 1 count.

Joe works AJ around the ring. AJ fights back but Joe sweeps his legs out. Joe with a boot to the face in the corner while AJ is down now. Joe runs the ropes and nails the big knee to the face in the corner. AJ fights back and connects with a headbutt. AJ with more strikes in the corner. Joe counters and drops AJ out of the corner with an enziguri.

AJ is on the floor for a breather now. Joe runs the ropes and leaps out, knocking AJ into the announce table. Joe brings it back into the ring for a 2 count. AJ fights back and stuns AJ. AJ looks to turn it around but Joe launches himself at AJ and turns him inside out. Joe with another pin attempt before keeping AJ grounded in the middle of the ring. Joe takes AJ to the top and rocks him with headbutts. Joe looks for a superplex but AJ slides down and brings Joe down face-first. Fans do dueling chants now. AJ unloads with strikes in the ring now. AJ with a splash in the corner and a big flying forearm but Joe kicks out at 2.

AJ ends up countering and catching Joe in a big inverted DDT from the corner off a moonsault attempt. AJ with a moonsault from the second rope but Joe gets his knees up. Joe powerbombs AJ for a 2 count. Joe goes right into a Crab submission. Joe immediately turns that into the STF in the middle of the ring. AJ gets his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Joe with headbutts in the corner now. Joe drops AJ with a forearm smash in the corner. Joe whips AJ hard into the corner. AJ side-steps as Joe charges in. AJ fights back but Joe hits him in the throat. AJ keeps going and lifts Joe up on his shoulders. AJ brings Joe down with a Rack Bomb and holds it for a 2 count.

AJ springboards in from the apron and hits the big 450 but Joe kicks out just in time. AJ calls for the Styles Clash but Joe counters and catapults AJ face-first into the turnbuckles. Joe bounces off the ropes and floors AJ with a vicious lariat. AJ still kicks out at 2. AJ is bleeding from the nose now. Joe goes for the Musclebuster but it's blocked. Joe blocks the Styles Clash. AJ tries to pull Joe out of the corner for the Calf Crusher but they keep fighting. Joe drops AJ with a stiff enziguri but he's slow to make the cover and AJ kicks out at 2. Joe goes for a clothesline but AJ nails the pele kick. Joe dumps AJ to the apron but AJ nails a forearm. AJ springboards in for the Phenomenal Forearm but Joe catches him on the way down and applies the Coquina Clutch. AJ stops it from being fully locked in. Joe finally drops back and applies the hold but AJ immediately turns that into a pin to retain.

Winner: AJ Styles

After the bell, Joe is furious. He yells at the referee while standing over AJ as AJ's music hits. Joe goes to the announce table, ranting about the call. Graves kisses up to him. AJ slowly gets to his feet as the referee hands him the title. Joe runs back in and grabs the title, raising it in the air to a pop. AJ drops Joe, sending him out of the ring. AJ's music hits again and he raises the title to a pop. We go to replays. An irate Joe marches up the ramp, apparently yelling for SmackDown General Manager Paige. AJ continues his celebration as we get a replay from a different angle. That replay shows AJ did tap out. AJ looks on as his music plays and we go to another break.

This is from our live coverage of WWE Hell In A Cell. To access our full Hell In A Cell coverage, click here.