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Results of Cody Rhodes vs. A.J. Styles at WWE Backlash 2024

Mr. Tito

Main Event of WWE Backlash France has arrived with A.J. Styles vs. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Crowd has been hot throughout the night, so let’s see how energy they have left in the tank. Styles is wearing similar looking gear to resemble what he wore when he defeated Dusty Rhodes for the NWA Title 21 years ago. French crowd is very loud singing along with Cody’s theme, including afterward when the song ends.

* Some sort of chant towards AJ Styles was so loud that it was shaking the hard camera. Jessika Carr is the referee for this match, and becomes the first female referee of a WWE World Title match on a Paid Live Event.

* Back and forth to start the match, as Cody really plays up the crowd and taunts AJ with some Stardust stuff as a callback to last night. The crowd is pure electricity and just randomly bringing out different chants and reacting to every single move. “AJ Styles, Let’s Go Cody” chants break out, too and in between moves, the French fans give the wrestlers a round of applause. Both wrestlers make their way to the outside, and then start battling on the top rope. Cody sells landing wrong and AJ Styles takes advantage through various moves working on the back and neck area.

* High impact moves delivered by both on the outside, with Cody getting slammed on the side of the apron while Cody powerbombed Styles through the announcer’s table. OUCH.

* Fans count in French while both wrestlers are exhausted on the outside and then barely make the 10 count, and then the fans give us some Seven Nation Army. Both wrestlers are exhausted and punching/kicking back & forth until they kick each other at the same time. Both men get up and agree to start brawling again with punches/kicks in the middle of the ring again. Cody gets the advantage and does his Dusty Tribute of punches and then the Bionic Elbow. Blocking of the Cody Cutter follows up with nice counters between each other until AJ Styles suplexes Cody on the lower turnbuckles (to keep working on that back). AJ with Springboard 450 Splash, but 2 count only.

* AJ Styles hits his Burning Hammer move, but Cody hulks up with a 2nd wind and hits the Cody Cutter (perfectly sold by AJ Styles) for a close 2 count.

* “Fight Forever” chant breaks out… Cody goes for CrossRhodes, but AJ snapmares Cody out of that and hits the Pele Kick. Goes for his flying punch, but Cody kicks him midair. Cody locks in the Kimura Lock in the center of the ring, but AJ Styles extra muscle mass lately allowed him to power out. Lots of counters of CrossRhodes and Styles Clashes, while Cody hit a crazy looking (but almost missed) Cody Cutter off the top rope. Crossrhodes for the win! Cody retains!

WINNER: Cody Rhodes and retains his WWE Title