3 Potential challengers for AJ Styles' WWE Championship

The name AJ Styles means high octane wrestling all around. Ever since the hottest free agent signed with the WWE in January 2016, he has been involved in a number of high profile storylines. Not only has he delivered back to back solid performances against the likes of John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho and many more, but he has also established SmackDown live as the 'House that AJ Styles Built'.

However, his recent feud with Shinsuke Nakamura fell well short of expectations. Their dream match at Wrestlemania 34 couldn't recreate the magic of their previous contest at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and ended in a clean win for the Phenomenal One after which the King of Strong Style turned heel and assaulted styles.

Since then, they have had two matches, both of which had controversial endings. WWE might have another go at their match at Money in the Bank but it is highly unlikely of them to pull the trigger on their 4th match and put the belt on Nakamura.

So after - and if - Styles defends his title at Money in the bank, here is a list of three potential challengers who might come after his gold.

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#3 Rusev

Rusev

The Bulgarian Brute has been one of the most underutilized men on the WWE roster. However, that time seems to be up as he recorded a shock win over Daniel Bryan this past week on Smackdown Live to qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

Time and again he has proved that he is a force to be reckoned with in the ring. From his undefeated streak, which lasted almost a year and included a 146-day reign as the WWE Unites States champion, to his stint with the League of Nations, he has delivered a number of great performances.

Rusev’s shot at the WWE Championship makes a lot more sense now as the Bulgarian’s ‘Rusev Day’ gimmick has gained a lot of momentum lately. His merchandise sales are soaring and the fans seem to love and adore his new gimmick. This surge in his popularity made him a perfect fit to place him in a Casket match against the Undertaker.

Vince McMahon might well want to use this opportunity in the near future to give the viewers a quality wrestling match in Rusev vs Styles.

#2 Randy Orton

Randy Orton

The 13-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton, is one of the top babyfaces on the current WWE roster. He has been around for more than 15 years now and few have a more decorated career than him.

The Apex Predator was recently involved in the US title picture. His ongoing feud with Jeff Hardy lacks sufficient build-up, though, they showed great chemistry in the ring and delivered a good match at Backlash. It seems highly unlikely that Hardy will drop the belt anytime soon, which leaves Orton available for a bigger push (again).

Orton and Styles squared off once in 2017 to determine the No. 1 contender for Bray Wyatt’s WWE Championship. Orton recorded a clean win over Styles after hitting an RKO,

Another Styles vs Orton clash might well be on the cards but for higher stakes this time.

#1 Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe

This is a no-brainer, taking into account his recent promos after getting drafted to Smackdown Live.

There are few men on the current roster who have better mic skills than Samoa Joe and it won’t be wrong to say that he single-handedly built his one-off match against Reigns at Backlash by delivering superb back to back promos.

Joe hasn’t been pushed for gold despite delivering superb in-ring performances with the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and more. His first and only opportunity came at Great Balls of Fire in July 2017 where he faced Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship in a losing effort.

The history between Styles and Joe dates back to 2003 and most wrestling fans know the magic they can weave both inside the ring and around the stadium (check out their match at TNA Sacrifice in 2005). This makes it a perfect time for WWE to push for a Styles vs Joe showdown.