By Matthew Klink (@klinkmatt)

August 17, 2018

In a card filled with matches that have been given time to develop and storylines that actually make sense, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are among the best. Joe has been brutal. AJ sounds inspired. The crowd and the hardcore wrestling fan know these guys have a past. And now…family is involved.

Before we get into their past, let’s not forget how this match was announced. In what I felt was one of the most innovative ways to put yourself in a championship match, Samoa Joe surprised us all. With AJ Styles in the ring, waiting for an announcement of his next opponent, the SmackDown Live cameras got distracted and followed James Ellsworth (another noted rivalry for Styles) as he was fired by Paige and then tossed out the door. Styles enjoyed watching this video and gave a hearty southern chuckle along with all of the fans watching in the arena.

Styles, facing the massive screen in front of him, had his back turned from the middle of the ring. His back was also to the contract that was to be signed by himself and his challenger at SummerSlam. Samoa Joe decided this was the best opportunity to slide in the ring, throwing the crowd into an uproar, and promptly attacked Styles, knocking him out. Allowing Joe to turn to the contract and sign his name into the WWE Championship match main event.

Pure genius…I only wish I had the smarts to do that as I continue my post MBA job search…

The decision to have Joe attack Styles works because of their past battles that turn this entire rivalry into a war. Before the WWE, Joe and Styles were both made popular because of their time with Impact Wrestling (which was known as TNA in their heyday). Here is a taste of what that rivalry looked like with a video, produced by Impact that was released this week (hmm, poor Impact).

With their past well documented, Samoa Joe and the creative team decided to utilize everyone’s knowledge of their work in TNA. A long history means getting to know each other’s families. Knowing each other’s families means getting to talk. And getting to talk means knowing some of the trouble at home. And that’s where Joe took this match to a whole new height.

I think this match and this build could have been fun without Joe’s epic promos. But I say, throw your personal life into the fray and entertain us!

Joe calls out Styles for focusing too much on his title and needing a break. All that focus is pushing him away from his wife and kids. If Styles continues his streak as the WWE Champion, he’ll also continue the streak of not being home to watch the little ones grow up. Maybe it’s time AJ Styles started to think about his wife and kids and finally give someone else a shot with the title. Of course all of this is from the mouth of Samoa Joe, but damn does it sound like that could be an actual problem in the Styles household.

And if you’ve ever denied that Pro Wrestling is like a soap opera or that you like it because of the athleticism…you’re insane! I LOVE THIS PRO WRESTLING GOSSIP! NOM NOM NOM! Eat it up!

AJ denies the Joe allegations and says that everything he does is for his family and that they understand that. It wasn’t the most believable thing in the world, but AJ was extremely passionate in his delivery. His sincere and believable passion, something we should be able to agree on, isn’t always his most consistent quality.

But getting back to the soap opera, who the heck believes AJ? He sounds like he’s in denial! We’ve all seen the movies. Dad works too late and the kids just want him home for Christmas:

“But kids, you can’t have all these awesome video games unless I make money.” Said AJ Styles with his heavy southern accent.

“We don’t care about the games daddy! We miss you” exclaimed the children, as they all began to huddle around the face that runs the place, to give their father tearful hugs. Only…its wasn’t their father…it was an iPad that was currently in Facetime mode.

Play long sweeping orchestral song and let the crying commence!

Thank you…thank you…

So Joe put the cherry on top this past Tuesday, on SmackDown Live. He pulled out a letter to read to AJ, before SmackDown went off the air, that described someone who wished AJ would lose the title…so that he could come home. Who is the letter from??? WENDY STYLES!!!! AJ Styles’ wife!

WHAT?!?!?!?!

Man! If this isn’t soap opera drama…I don’t know what is!

Some hated it, but I love it! Joe is ripping AJ into pieces and making him doubt if winning really is the best option. I hope to god that Ms. Styles and the kids are in the front row for this one. I would love to see AJ get ready to do the Styles Clash only to lock eyes with his beloved. He won’t give up the fight at that point, but that moment of doubt will give Joe the upper hand and allow the Coquina Clutch to clasped around his neck. And that will be the end of AJ Styles run as the WWE Champion!

I love AJ to death! This isn’t coming from a guy who is sick of Styles and wants to see him go. I’d be thrilled if he held onto the title forever. But he’s gotta lose it sometime and why not give a good ‘back and forth’ with a guy who has definitely earned it with his mic skills.

In what might be the final year of AJ Styles contract, Joe and Styles are giving us levels of family drama and emotion last seen from Shawn Michaels & Chris Jericho. This success means it won’t end at SummerSlam and it might take us through the fall. I’m all for it!

We are fully booked booked for SummerSlam! I am loving this card. If you haven't made plans yet, don't forget to be on your couch on August 19th for the biggest show of the summer! Catch up with the Brothers of Discussion Analysis of every match here on BODPodcast.com

Carmella vs Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship
Ronda Rousey vs Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women's Championship
AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship
Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Title
Dolph Ziggler vs Seth Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jeff Hardy for the United States Championship
Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens for the MITB Briefcase
The Bludgeon Brothers vs the New Day for the SmackDown Tag Titles
The B-Team vs The Revival for the Raw Tag Titles
Baron Corbin vs Finn Balor
Daniel Bryan vs The Miz
Rusev and Lana vs Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega
Sunday, August 19th, 7PM EST

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