James Ellsworth will no longer be fighting AJ Styles on ‘SmackDown Live’ tonight. (WWE.com)
Tonight on SmackDown Live, AJ Styles walked into the ring wearing a leg brace, saying he is not medically cleared to compete. Is this real or just a part of the storyline?
Unfortunately, this is not a scripted injury. AJ Styles legitimately was injured at Tables, Ladders and Chairs over the weekend, and he hasn’t been cleared to compete on SmackDown Live this week.
Luckily, though, he shouldn’t be out of action for long; according to WrestleZone, Styles suffered a “minor ankle injury” while performing the springboard 450 during his match against Dean Ambrose. Styles was pulled from a live event on Monday night as a precautionary measure, and it was thought that he may actually be able to get back in the ring in time for December 6th’s SmackDown. Unfortunately, this did not end up being the case.
AJ Styles said on SmackDown Live that he will only be wearing the leg brace for one week, so the previously scheduled match against James Ellsworth should take place on December 13th’s show.
The Phenomenal One is currently engaged in a feud with James Ellsworth and Dean Ambrose, with Ellsworth betraying Ambrose at Tables, Ladders and Chairs. Clearly, fame has gone to Ellsworth’s head, and he now believes he can take on AJ Styles on his own. Ellsworth was scheduled to have a title match on this week’s episode, but instead, the show opened with a brief segment during which Styles explained his injury and Dean Ambrose attacked Ellsworth.
SmackDown Lives airs Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the USA Network.