A.J. Styles defeats Dean Ambrose for WWE World Championship at Backlash

A.J. Styles defeated Dean Ambrose at Backlash to claim the WWE World Championship on Sunday night.

A.J. Styles defeated Dean Ambrose at Backlash to claim the WWE World Championship on Sunday night.

Late in the match, Styles inadvertently shoved Ambrose into the ring referee, taking him out of the match for a brief time. While he wasn’t looking, Styles used a low blow to set the defending champion up for his finishing move, the Styles Clash.

The 39-year-old is in his first year with the WWE, and this marks his first title with the brand.

Styles wrestled in TNA from 2002–2013, and later spent time in Japan before coming to WWE. He defeated John Cena at SummerSlam, which was considered his biggest victory to date until Sunday.

– Kenny Ducey