The WWE Universe witnessed an all-out war at **WWE Super Show-Down 2018** when **AJ Styles defended the WWE Championship against Samoa Joe** in a **No Disqualification, No Count-Out Match**. This wasn’t just a battle for the title; it was **deeply personal**. The rivalry between Styles and Joe had escalated into **one of the most vicious feuds in WWE history**, with Joe making it his mission to **break AJ Styles mentally and physically**. At Super Show-Down, there were no rules—only pain. Would AJ Styles overcome the relentless assault of the Samoan Submission Machine, or would Samoa Joe finally dethrone The Phenomenal One in brutal fashion?
### **The Rivalry: When Competition Becomes Personal**
The tension between **AJ Styles and Samoa Joe** didn’t just start in WWE—it had been brewing for over a decade, dating back to their time in **TNA Wrestling**. These two warriors knew each other inside and out, but in **2018**, their feud took a disturbing turn.
Samoa Joe, rather than just challenging AJ Styles for the WWE Championship, decided to attack him **on a personal level**, targeting **his family**. Joe repeatedly taunted AJ about his wife and children, claiming that Styles was an absent father who cared more about his title than his family. The mind games reached a boiling point when **Joe invaded Styles’ home**, taking the rivalry to a new level of intensity.
At **Hell in a Cell 2018**, Styles managed to retain the WWE Championship, but controversy surrounded the match as **Joe had made Styles tap out**, but the referee didn’t see it. This led to the **rematch at WWE Super Show-Down**, where there would be **no disqualifications, no count-outs, and no excuses**.
### **The Match Begins: AJ Styles Fights for His Honor**
As the **bell rang**, AJ Styles wasted no time, charging at Samoa Joe with unrelenting aggression. Unlike previous encounters where he relied on technical skills and high-flying attacks, Styles came into this match **with pure rage**, throwing punches and kicks at Joe, trying to beat respect into his challenger.
🔹 **Styles’ Relentless Offense** – Knowing he needed to neutralize Joe early, Styles hit a series of **brutal forearms, chops, and dropkicks**, keeping the Samoan powerhouse on the defensive. However, Joe was not easily shaken.
🔹 **Joe’s Brutality Takes Over** – As expected, Samoa Joe absorbed AJ’s attacks and **used his raw power to take control**. With one massive **shoulder block**, he sent Styles flying across the ring. From that moment on, Joe **unleashed pure destruction**, throwing Styles **into the steel barricades, the announce table, and even the steel steps**.
### **No Rules, No Mercy: The Violence Escalates**
With **no disqualifications in place**, Joe took full advantage of the stipulation.
🔥 **Joe Introduces a Steel Chair** – Samoa Joe, determined to punish Styles, grabbed a **steel chair** and drove it into AJ’s spine multiple times, each shot echoing through the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
🔥 **AJ Styles Counters with a Kendo Stick** – Desperate to turn the tide, Styles reached under the ring and retrieved a **kendo stick**, using it to batter Joe with rapid-fire strikes. The sound of the stick cracking across Joe’s back brought the crowd to their feet.
🔥 **Samoa Joe Powers Through the Pain** – Despite the punishment, Joe **caught Styles mid-swing**, delivering a **brutal Uranage onto the ring apron**, the hardest part of the ring.
With Styles now **writhing in pain**, Joe knew he had the champion right where he wanted him.
### **The Moment of Destruction: Samoa Joe Smashes AJ Through a Steel Chair**
As the match reached its peak, Samoa Joe looked to end things in the most devastating way possible.
🔹 **Joe Sets Up a Steel Chair in the Ring** – The Samoan Submission Machine placed a **steel chair upright**, ensuring that whatever came next would leave AJ Styles broken.
🔹 **AJ Tries to Fight Back, But Joe Catches Him** – Styles, knowing the danger he was in, attempted a desperate comeback, landing an **enzuigiri** and a **Pele Kick**. However, Joe **shrugged off the attacks** and **caught Styles mid-air with a Coquina Clutch**.
🔹 **Muscle Buster Through the Chair** – In one of the most brutal moments of the night, **Samoa Joe hoisted AJ Styles up and delivered a devastating Muscle Buster through the steel chair**, bending the chair on impact as Styles’ body crashed into it. The crowd erupted in shock at the sheer brutality of the maneuver.
### **AJ Styles Refuses to Quit: The Champion’s Resilience**
After such a devastating move, **it seemed all but over**. Joe covered Styles for the pin, confident that he had finally become WWE Champion.
**1… 2… NO**
🔥 **AJ Styles Kicked Out** 🔥
The Melbourne crowd exploded as AJ Styles, despite the pain, **refused to stay down**. Even Samoa Joe looked shocked—what more would it take to put Styles away?
### **The Final Moments: Styles Shocks the World**
Realizing that he needed to finish the job, **Joe attempted another Muscle Buster**, but this time, Styles countered, **rolling out of Joe’s grasp and landing a low blow**—perfectly legal under the match stipulation.
🔹 **Phenomenal Forearm** – With Joe momentarily stunned, AJ Styles **climbed to the top rope and delivered a Phenomenal Forearm**, sending Joe crashing to the mat.
🔹 **Calf Crusher Locked In** – Styles immediately transitioned into his signature **Calf Crusher submission**, wrenching back on Joe’s injured leg. Despite his size and strength, **Joe had taken too much damage**.
🔹 **Samoa Joe Taps Out** – After enduring the pain for as long as possible, **Joe had no choice but to submit**, giving AJ Styles the victory
💥 **Winner and STILL WWE Champion: AJ Styles** 💥
### **Aftermath: The End of a Brutal Rivalry?**
AJ Styles had not only retained his **WWE Championship**, but he had also proven that **his resilience and heart were unmatched**. Samoa Joe had thrown everything at him, including one of the most brutal steel chair spots in WWE history, yet **The Phenomenal One still walked away with the title**.
🔥 **Was this the end of the war, or would Samoa Joe come back even more dangerous?** Despite losing, Joe had once again shown that he was one of the most dominant forces in WWE. But on this night, **AJ Styles stood tall as a champion who refused to be broken**.
### **Conclusion: A Match for the Ages**
🔥 **Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles at WWE Super Show-Down 2018** was not just a title match—it was **a statement**. It was about **who was willing to go further, who could endure more pain, and who truly deserved to stand at the top of WWE**. Joe may have been the most brutal, but AJ Styles proved that **heart and resilience would always triumph**.
🤔 **What did you think of this brutal showdown? Should Samoa Joe have won the WWE Championship that night? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below** 💥🔥