After closing the past four WWE premium live events (including both nights of WrestleMania), Cody Rhodes kicked off the show against AJ Styles in a rematch of Backlash France’s main event.
As expected, Rhodes was the overwhelming crowd favorite heading into the contest. It was Rhodes’ first “I Quit” match, which the commentary crew hammered home early, also noting that Styles is undefeated under such stipulations.
Rhodes started fast, hitting his patented drop slap before working Styles in the turnbuckles. Rhodes played the hits early, landing a scoop powerslam before going for a Disaster Kick that was countered by Styles, giving the challenger brief momentum. Rhodes used a Bionic Elbow and a big dropkick to force the referee to ask Styles for the first time if he quit.
The crowed popped as Rhodes broke out a pair of tables and began to stalk Styles around the ringside area. After being sent into and over the steel steps the referee again checked in on Styles. Rhodes continued the offensive into the crowd, high-fiving fans and hitting Styles with a patron’s drink.
Styles recovered and the fight carried on into the backstage/locker room area, Styles began to use some of the wires from Gorilla position to choke out Rhodes. After that brief backstage stint, both men worked their way down the entrance ramp and back to the ringside area.
Back in the ring, Rhodes locked Styles in the Figure Four and sparking the referee to ask the challenger if he wanted to end the match again. Styles would reverse a standing suplex and land a suplex of his own, sending both men outside the ring again. Styles then slammed Rhodes onto the announce table twice, the second time being a brainbuster. Rhodes refused to quit when asked by the referee after the high-impact maneuvers.
With Rhodes incapacitatied and bleeding, Styles taunted Rhodes mother, who was seated ringside. Styles kept up the punishment in the ring, mixing in offense and taunts of the crowd. After a modified neckbreaker, Rhodes was asked if he quit two more times, responding “absolutely not” and “no.”
As Styles set up for a Styles Clash onto the steel steps — a callback to an earlier spot in the build to this match — Rhodes countered with a back-body drop. Rhodes would gain his first sustained momentum in a while, landing a Disaster Kick and setting up Styles for a CrossRhodes. Instead, Styles countered into a Pele kick and DDT. Styles again gained the upper hand and introduced steel chairs into the equation.
Styles set the chair up around Rhodes’ neck, landing a knee drop and sparking another inquiry from the referee. Styles grabbed a kendo stick and began unloading on the champion. A defiant Rhodes answered “hell no” when asked if he was giving up. A frustrated Styles began to hit Rhodes with a belt and locked in a submission hold, causing Rhodes to pass out.
The next weapon introduced by Styles was a pair of handcuffs, which he used to bind Rhodes in the center of the ring. Styles again unloaded on Rhodes with the kendo stick, but the champion again did not surrender. Styles then pleaded with Rhodes mother to get her son to quit, but she slapped the challenger.
Styles returned to the ring and set up a Phenomenal Forearm with the assistance of a steel chain, but as he leaped to the top rope, Rhodes threw a steel chair at him and sending the challenger through one of the tables set up outside the ring.
Now free from the handcuffs, Rhodes used the handcuffs as a weapon on Styles, busting him open. Rhodes landed a Cody Cutter and the crowd erupted before he hit a trio of CrossRhodes, the last of which came onto a steel chair. Rather than having the official ask Styles if he quit, Rhodes waived the referee off, opting to deliver more punishment by cuffing Styles to the middle rope.
Rhodes delivered a flurry of steel chair hits, the final one to Styles’ injured ankle. When asked if he quit, Styles responded with “I … screw you Cody Rhodes.”
As Styles cowered into the corner, Rhodes raised the steel steps over his head and threatened to hit him with them, forcing Styles to quit in fear. Despite the match ending, Rhodes hit Styles with the steps anyway.
Cody Rhodes def. AJ Styles in 27:50 to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.