AJ Styles Returns to WWE Raw, Earns a Money in the Bank Ladder Match Spot

AJ Styles proved that he had in fact survived his WrestleMania 36 Boneyard Match with The Undertaker, as "The Phenomenal One" returned to action on this week's Monday Night Raw. Styles appeared as the final competitor in the gauntlet match for the final spot in the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match, and won in quick fashion after beating Humberto Carrillo via the Calf Crusher. Styles will take on Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, Otis, Daniel Bryan and King Corbin in the ladder match at WWE Headquarters this Sunday.

Bobby Lashley opened Monday's match by beating Titus O'Neil, Akira Tozawa and Shelton Benjamin in quick fashion. He was disqualified after putting his hands on a referee while wrestling Carrillo, who then eliminated Angel Garza and Austin Theory.

Though he hadn't been on WWE television since his lost to "The Deadman" (in which he was buried under six feet of dirt), Styles has made a few appearances on his Mixer account.

"The match was different, no doubt about it," Styles said in his first live stream after the match. "I told you it was going to be. You never know what you're going to get sometimes. I was very pleased with it. I think the majority of wrestling fans, the WWE Universe, was happy with it. For every 100, there were maybe two or three (fans) that didn't like it."

According to Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Styles was supposed to be off television much longer than just one month.

"I would think he'd be in the gauntlet match... the original idea was to keep him out longer. But I think with the ratings falling it's kind of like, 'We can't adhere to this Undertaker stipulation for a guy who's not hurt when so many guys are hurt and not coming. So, he's willing to come," Meltzer said on this week's Sunday Night's Main Event.

Here is the full card for Money in the Bank as of now:

• WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins
• WWE Universal Championship: Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt
• SmackDown Women's Championship: Bayley vs. Tamina
• SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The New Day vs. The Miz & John Morrison vs. Th Forgotten Sons vs. Lucha House Party
• Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match (filmed at WWE Headquarters): Daniel Bryan vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Aleister Black vs. King Corbin vs. Otis vs. TBD
• Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match (filmed at WWE Headquarters): Asuka vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Nia Jax vs. Dana Brooke vs. Lacey Evans vs. Carmella