AJ Styles’ World Title Bid Ends in DQ Amid Finn Bálor Interference on Raw

TORONTO (Azat TV) – World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk successfully retained his title against AJ Styles on Monday’s edition of WWE Raw in Toronto, though the victory came via disqualification following an unexpected interference by Finn Bálor. The highly anticipated main event, touted as a potential final WWE title opportunity for Styles, concluded controversially, raising questions about Bálor’s character direction and adding a layer of uncertainty to Styles’ career-on-the-line match against Gunther at the upcoming Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.

The Controversial Main Event

The January 26 “go-home” show before the first Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia featured a marquee match between CM Punk and AJ Styles, marking their first encounter in a WWE ring in over two decades. The contest for Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship was booked after significant fan demand, with many speculating it could be one of AJ Styles’ last major title challenges given his impending career match. However, the match itself, held at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, largely failed to captivate the audience, with Yahoo Sports describing it as “stuck in the mud” and lacking “real drama.”

The decisive moment arrived when Finn Bálor, a member of The Judgment Day faction, attacked CM Punk, leading to a disqualification victory for the champion. This interference prevented a clean finish and immediately drew criticism from fans and critics alike. Last Word on Sports highlighted Bálor’s action, noting it “crashed AJ Styles’ Raw opportunity.” The sudden intervention by Bálor was particularly surprising given that he had reportedly been exhibiting signs of a potential “face turn” (a shift to a heroic persona) in previous weeks, including after a loss to Punk just seven days prior. His attack on Punk, therefore, seemed to contradict this developing character arc, prompting Yahoo Sports to label it an “immediate character abandonment.”

Implications for Styles’ Future

The contentious finish to the World Heavyweight Championship match casts a shadow over AJ Styles’ immediate future in WWE. Styles is already slated to face Gunther at the Royal Rumble this Saturday in a match where his career will be on the line. The disqualification finish against CM Punk, denying him a definitive outcome in what could have been his last WWE title match, has fueled speculation. Critics, including Yahoo Sports, openly wondered if the inconclusive booking might imply that Styles’ career is not yet nearing its end, suggesting a potential narrative pivot after the Royal Rumble.

Finn Bálor’s actions, meanwhile, complicate the dynamics within The Judgment Day. Despite recent hints of a potential split or character shift, his interference in the main event seemingly reaffirms his allegiance to the faction. This development leaves the audience to ponder the true motivations behind Bálor’s attack and its long-term impact on his storyline, especially as he reportedly approached Raw General Manager Adam Pearce backstage seeking a spot in the Royal Rumble match, only to be told it was full.

Other Developments on Raw

Beyond the main event, Monday’s Raw broadcast presented a mixed bag of results and storyline advancements. In a well-received trios match, RhIyo (Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky) and Stephanie Vaquer defeated The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez). This match, which Yahoo Sports praised for its pacing and the talent involved, served primarily to build towards a street fight title match between Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez scheduled for next Monday.

However, not all segments landed as intended. A much-anticipated confrontation between Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and Bron Breakker, following weeks of tension and a suspension for Breakker, was widely panned. Pearce merely apologized and granted Breakker a spot in the Royal Rumble match without Breakker uttering a single word, leaving the audience “wildly confused about what the point was,” according to Yahoo Sports. Additionally, the announcements that Roman Reigns and Oba Femi would enter the Royal Rumble match drew criticism for spoiling potential surprises, particularly for Femi’s main roster debut.

In tag team action, Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa) secured a hard-fought victory in a four-way elimination match against The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston), Los Americanos (Rayo & Bravo), and American Made (Brutus & Julius Creed). This win, their first on Raw since November 2024, earned them a future World Tag Team Championship opportunity, likely against The Usos.

Criticism and Fan Reaction

The overall reception to this “go-home” edition of Raw was largely negative, with Yahoo Sports giving the show a “crown score” of 4/10. The main event between CM Punk and AJ Styles, despite its star power and historical significance, was criticized for its slow pace and the controversial DQ finish. The perceived abandonment of Finn Bálor’s potential face turn and the underwhelming resolution of the Adam Pearce-Bron Breakker storyline further contributed to the disappointment. The spoiling of Royal Rumble entrants also grated on fans eager for genuine surprises. These elements collectively suggest that WWE’s build-up to the Royal Rumble has hit a notable stumble, failing to generate the desired momentum ahead of one of its biggest annual events.

The booking decisions on this Raw, particularly the non-committal finish to the Punk vs. Styles match and Bálor’s abrupt character shift, reflect a broader challenge for WWE in balancing immediate storyline progression with long-term narrative consistency, especially as it navigates the delicate balance of high-stakes matches and fan expectations ahead of major events like the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.