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It was a slightly shocking AJ Styles was included in the bracket for the Intercontinental Championship Tournament last week. Shinsuke Nakamura was also listed as a part of the tourney but his partner in crime, Cesaro, was not. After finding out that the Swiss Superman was currently at home in Switzerland on WWE Backstage, it made a little bit of sense as to why The Phenomenal One had a spot.
As his first-round match with The Artist was about to begin, the announcers revealed that AJ Styles had been traded to SmackDown for future considerations. Another layer was added to the tournament as the Blue brand pulled off a huge coup. Styles was one of the biggest stars on SmackDown during his previous stint with the Ble brand and had a mixed run after being drafted to RAW.
Now that he's a solo act once more, maybe it was time to bring The Phenomenal One back to the brand where he had his greatest victories. The global COVID-19 pandemic has forced WWE and others to change their usual game plans and operating manuals.
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In a two-month period we have seen Becky Lynch relinquish her title and the need for a new Intercontinental Champion. A major star switching brands seems strange but here are five possible reasons as to why Styles was traded to SmackDown.
#5 To win the IC title at some point
Since he's involved in the running to potentially become the next IC Champion, it stands to reason that he was traded to win the belt. His name alone means that he'd at least advance to the semis, and he did so after defeating his old foe Shinsuke Nakamura on the latest episode of SmackDown. Next in line for The Phenomenal One is Elias. Will WWE finally pull the trigger on a title run for Elias or is he merely a stepping stone for AJ Styles?
When the brackets were revealed, the two biggest and most likely names to win it all were Styles and Daniel Bryan. Bryan has also advanced and the two men could produce another great feud if that's the chosen direction.
And while Styles may not win the tournament per se, he could feasibly challenge for the title in the coming months. He always puts up great matches and his name alone adds excitement to the SmackDown mid-card. Styles may not hold the title at the end of the tourney but he could very well be hunting for it during the rest of 2020.
#4 Open up heel spots on RAW
Seth Rollins is the top heel on RAW at the moment but he had his shot at the WWE Championship. Bobby Lashley appears to be next in line. And while Zelina Vega's stable has had some ups and downs lately, her charges are up-and-coming heels. Andrade alone has the potential to be one of the top heels on the Red brand if given the chance.
Kevin Owens could always be turned if needed and Murphy is also a rising heel for RAW. Randy Orton is busy with Edge but is a ready-made title challenger for McIntyre when the time is right. AJ Styles would have likely been gunning for McIntyre due to each man's standing. Styles made the WWE Championship special during his reigns on Friday nights and it proved that he belonged atop the WWE.
By departing RAW, it opens up a spot close to and eventually in the main event. If no one moves up or down, the picture becomes stagnant. Styles has made everything work for him since joining the WWE.
#3 Potential future feuds
As mentioned in the previous slides, feuds will open up for AJ Styles regardless of if he wins the Intercontinental title or not. Should he square off with old foe Daniel Bryan, the two men could enter into another entertaining program over a title. Irrespective of whether Styles wins or loses, the two men could carry on with their angle for a month or two.
That would be just one feud. Styles could feud with any other participant from the tournament such as Jeff Hardy or Sheamus. He could even square off with Otis who is extremely hot right now. Styles has never captured the Universal Championship either so that could also be a target of his following his return to SmackDown.
He and Braun Strowman have never had a title feud as the Monster Among Men was mainly on RAW while Styles was a part of SmackDown. The two changed shows once more during last year's WWE Draft. The two have never faced off with each other over an extended period of time. That would be an enticing feud down the line should Strowman keep hold of his title for the next three or four months.
And then there's The Fiend. John Cena had beaten Styles for the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble in 2017 which was followed by Bray Wyatt winning the title at Elimination Chamber. It was Wyatt's first big title win on the main roster but it was also short-lived. Regardless of the title, Styles and the Fiend would be a pairing worthy of the main event of any PPV. Simply put, there are many possibilities for The Phenomenal One on Friday nights.
#2 For a fresh start away from The OC
Among the big roster cuts last month were Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, forming two-thirds of The OC alongside AJ Styles. They were usually booked the best when paired with The Phenomenal One. But as WWE needed to make some changes, the former tag champs were let go.
Now that Styles is again a singles act, it opens up a lot more opportunities. He won't need to enter into feuds with three other stars or a tag team and a singles competitor. He can worry about himself and his goals rather than the goals of a group. He was the leader of The OC and helped out in many matches featuring Gallows and Anderson.
One way to put the latest run with The OC in the rearview is to ship him to the show that didn't feature the tag team by his side. The entire group was primarily together on RAW so moving him back to the Blue brand essentially closes that chapter of his WWE run.
#1 Star power
The pandemic has truly affected the entire world. No one aspect of society has been spared as businesses both large and small have had to adjust their operations. Larger companies have obviously been able to move forward due to having deeper pockets, but some sports have had to pick and choose how to move forward.
Sports like the NBA and NHL had the rest of their seasons suspended while the MLB might have some semblance of a season. Pro wrestling has seen many smaller companies have to stop completely but the likes of WWE, AEW, and IMPACT have been able to continue work.
One aspect that has still altered the WWE is that some stars have decided to stay at home. Some have underlying health issues and some are observing quarantine for safety. One of those stars is the former golden boy of WWE, Roman Reigns. He had challenged Goldberg for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36. But a few short weeks after declaring himself the No. 1 contender, he was replaced by Braun Strowman.
Reigns' spot atop SmackDown meant that one of the WWE's biggest stars was now out of the spotlight. What better way is there to somewhat stem the tide than by trading one of the biggest names in the company in AJ Styles to the Blue brand?
Strowman is one of the top stars in the WWE but he isn't a tested success atop the company like Styles was. The main event scene of the Blue brand was lackadaisical even with Reigns so adding a talent such as Styles should only help things. And as we've mentioned already, Styles could clash with several Superstars on SmackDown to engage the WWE Universe.
