5 potential finishes for WWE Champion Daniel Bryan vs AJ Styles

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This Sunday, Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles will lock horns once again, with the WWE Championship on the line.

The third title match between the two, this will seemingly be the Phenomenal One's last chance to regain the gold before WrestleMania 35.

Once the most beloved Superstar of a generation, Bryan has become one of WWE's most hated figures since turning on the fans to capture the title shortly before last year's Survivor Series.

With the men's Royal Rumble match taking place that very same night, both Styles and Bryan will be hoping to scout out any possible opponents for WrestleMania they may have to face.

Here are five ways the WWE Championship match between Bryan and Styles could end at the Royal Rumble.

#5 Styles wins his third WWE Championship clean

The Phenomenal One is hoping to regain the WWE Championship this Sunday.

Bryan may have dethroned Styles to capture the WWE Championship in November, but he didn't exactly do it fairly.

Instead, the bearded warrior utilized a downed referee as well as a swift kick to the groin (something Styles became painfully familiar with in 2018) to win the title, mere months after coming out of retirement.

Whilst Bryan retained at TLC, Styles is still an incredible athlete and has had the upper hand on SmackDown Live in recent weeks.

Styles capturing the title would certainly be a shock, with many expecting Bryan to hold it until WrestleMania at the least.

And whilst Styles is still popular with the fans, it became clear in the latter days of his year-long title reign that fans were becoming tired of his seemingly unbreakable grip on the title, making this option the least likely of all.

#4 Double Count-out

The war between Styles and Bryan has spilt on to the outside in the past.

It may not be a popular option, but it wouldn't surprise many fans if the WWE went for a double count-out to end this match.

Styles is no stranger to the match ending, with one of his several title matches with Shinsuke Nakamura ending like this last year.

It's unclear how a double count-out would happen in this straight-up singles match, though knowing both men's fondness for aerial offence, perhaps they could both be on the top turnbuckle, grappling, only to go tumbling onto the outside, leaving the referee no choice but to count them out, with Bryan retaining his title.

This would presumably lead to a fourth match between the two for the title, perhaps at Elimination Chamber, leaving the company time to determine a contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

#3 Outside interference changes everything

Could The Miz make his presence known during the WWE Championship match?

This match will probably be the last match between Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles for a while, and with WrestleMania 35 approaching, a new challenger will be needed.

If the WWE went down this right, it would certainly be a shocking surprise and could give the champion, whoever they may be, an opponent for WrestleMania, with Seth Rollins being the current favorite to win the men's Royal Rumble match and challenge Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

The question now though, is who would make their presence known in the WWE Championship match at the Rumble.

There's no shortage of Superstars who would want to make a name for themselves at the expense of the champion and the Phenomenal One, though whoever it would be, would have a long journey to go between now and WrestleMania.

#2 Styles wins, via disqualification

Bryan won the title in controversial means and could retain via DQ.

Ever since he captured the WWE Championship in controversial fashion, it seems there is no low that Daniel Bryan will not stoop to.

Attacking everyone from the Phenomenal One to the fans for their lifestyle, the new Daniel Bryan is clearly a very different man than the one fans cheered just mere months ago.

With his newfound mean streak, it's clear that Bryan isn't above retaining the championship via disqualification, in his efforts to become the most hated Superstar in WWE.

Having him lose, though retain via DQ could be beautifully ironic, as the former YES! Man would gleefully mock Styles for winning the match, but not the championship.

We feel a kick to the groin would be the cherry on the cake of this idea, though maybe AJ Styles has finally decided to wear a cup.

#1 Bryan retains the title, cleanly

Bryan is expected to retain the title this Sunday.

The most likely option, it seems assured that Daniel Bryan will retain the title in the final match of this feud.

Bryan's return to the ring has been nothing short of miraculous, after being forced into early retirement in 2016.

Despite limiting some of his moveset, Bryan continues to be just as exciting to watch in the ring, and will more than likely beat Styles cleanly to end this storyline.

With Styles finally out of Bryan's hair (or should that be beard?) the eco-warrior would be practically guaranteed to be in the title match at WrestleMania, which would be Bryan's third WWE World Championship Mania match.

Whilst the WWE do have pay per views between now and the show of shows, Bryan will be no doubt hoping to keep the title on the road to WrestleMania.