Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles Universal Championship Match Booked for Money in the Bank

AJ Styles earned a shot at the WWE Universal Championship at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view [...]

By Connor Casey

AJ Styles earned a shot at the WWE Universal Championship at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view during Monday Night Raw this week, winning two separate matches in order to earn a match against reigning champ Seth Rollins. Styles pinned United States Champion Samoa Joe early in the night during a triple threat match that also involved Rey Mysterio, then pinned Baron Corbin in the main event.

Raw closed out with Rollins approaching Styles in the middle of the ring, offering a handshake. Styles obliged, but the two began trading words as the show went off the air.

Styles was brought to the Raw roster the week prior as part of the Superstar Shake-up, along with Mysterio and Joe (though his move wasn't announced until Monday). Over on the Blue Brand Styles held the WWE Championship twice, with the second reign eclipsing a full calendar year before dropping it to Daniel Bryan in November.

Meanwhile, Rollins won the Universal Championship to begin his third world championship reign at WrestleMania 35 by beating Brock Lesnar. After getting attacked before the bell, Rollins nailed "The Beast" with a low blow followed by three Curb Stomps to pick up the win.

Styles picked up a win of his own at WrestleMania, defeating Randy Orton early in the night with a Phenomenal Forearm. Styles admitted a few days after the match that he suffered a hip injury during the bout, but was back in action shortly after.

"When you take a suplex from about 15 feet in the air... You know, I think I hit my left side before my right, just a little bit, and that's totally on me, totally my fault," Styles said while streaming on his Mixer account. "It kind of knocked my hips out of place and then everything else, all those muscles in your butt and your back, swell up and then those muscles press on your nerve endings, and next thing you know you can't walk the next day.

"But, got x-rays [on Wednesday] and they were all positive, I didn't break anything," he added. "So, as far as that looks, I should be good to go here soon."

Since winning the title, Rollins has spent the last few weeks alongside Roman Reigns celebrating Dean Ambrose's final weeks in the company. The trio teamed up as The Shield one last time at the The Shield's Final Chapter WWE Network event on Sunday and beat Corbin, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley in a six-man tag match.

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