Backlash 2016: Dean Ambrose v A.J. Styles

AJ Styles has pinned “The Face that Runs the Place,” twice. Now, The Phenomenal One sets his sight on The Lunatic Fringe that runs the asylum.

Styles will challenge WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose at WWE Backlash Sunday, Sept. 11, live on WWE Network. If Styles’ recent win streak is any indication, The Lunatic Fringe may be facing his biggest threat yet.

The Phenomenal One ensured the title match would remain a one-on-one contest by defeating former World Champion Dolph Ziggler on the Aug. 23 edition of SmackDown Live. Yet, even before that, Styles had accumulated an impressive string of major victories including, most notably, going 2-0 against John Cena in singles competition this summer.

Though the involvement of Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson tainted Styles’ first win over the Cenation leader, Styles needed no outside assistance to defeat Cena in their all-time classic return match at SummerSlam.

Styles might have the wind at his back heading into SmackDown Live’s first brand-exclusive pay-per-view, but he also has an unpredictable and unrelenting Lunatic Fringe staring him in the face on Sept. 11. Ambrose’s devil-may-care attitude has benefited his title reign thus far; will his kinetic style of fisticuffs continue to pay dividends against the dynamic force that is AJ Styles?