12 WWE Clash Of Champions 2019 Impulse Reactions

11. AJ Styles (c) Vs Cedric Alexander

AJ Styles and Cedric Alexander started sh*t-hot in their United States Championship screamer, ignoring card placement to go at one another as if they were main eventing WrestleMania...or not, based on how limp some WrestleMania main events have been in recent years.

Working an even more exaggerated heel/babyface match than their mini-banger on the go-home Raw thanks to the local support for Charlotte resident Cedric, the Challenger show guts and guile early doors before the Champion subdued him with a Styles Clash on the floor.

Rather than taking the easy pin, 'The Phenomenal One' then went to work, picking his spots with cynical precision as acts of revenge for the troubles he's experienced against the recent Raw upstart. Wrapping it up in just 4:55, this was far from a squash win, but there was something immensely satisfying about watching the pair go hell-for-leather in the first two minutes as a clock flashed up noting just seven left before the start of the main show.

Benefitting from the sort of brevity so few wrestlers are afforded, this kicked the sh*t out of the company match manual whilst leaving space for more of the same in inevitable singles and multi-man rematches.