5 reasons AJ Styles isn't being wasted at WWE WrestleMania 37

AJ Styles is, without a doubt, one of WWE's most popular and reliable stars. Since his very first WrestleMania match against Chris Jericho at 'Mania 32, each year since has seen the Phenomenal One ticking off items on the Matches At WrestleMania That Prove You're a Big Shot List (we're working on a better title for that).

Match with Shane McMahon? Check. High profile world title match? Check. Match with the Undertaker? Check. He also beat Randy Orton one year, which isn't on the list but is still pretty impressive. I mean, have you defeated Randy Orton at WrestleMania before? I doubt it (and if you have, please email me).

So, when it was announced that Styles would be teaming up with his associate Omos in a Raw Tag Team Championship match against the New Day, some fans were a little miffed.

"Why are they wasting Styles in a tag team match at Mania?" they seemed to be collectively saying.

"Shouldn't he be wrestling Triple H or some other arbitrary high-profile match we feel he should be in?"

And, to that I say, well... yeah, sure. But, this match he's in this year isn't the demotion some of you think it is.

And here are five reasons why.

#5. AJ Styles has already been in some major WrestleMania matches in the past... cut the guy some slack.

Chris Jericho vs AJ Styles - WrestleMania 32

AJ Styles has been in WWE since 2016 - just a little over six years as I write this. That might seem like a long time (and time is relative, according to Einstein, so... let's consider that), but look at the tenure of one of his opponents this weekend, for example - Kofi Kingston.

This weekend will be Kingston's ninth match at the Show of Shows - and the majority of them have been either Money in the Bank matches or 27-man tag team matches or something. What I'm getting at is that no matter how great a performer is, they can't main event WrestleMania every year. Unless you're Hulk Hogan, I guess.

But, there's also more to this tag match than people are considering.

#4. AJ Styles is still taking on two huge stars

In case you had forgotten who AJ Styles and Omos's opponents are, it's the New Day (yes it is). The group consisting of Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E (come on, he'll always be in New Day, even if he's on a different show... in fact, more on that in a second) has consistently been one of the most popular groups in the company... ever.

Another thing the masters of the Power of Positivity have done consistently is put on some amazing spectacles at WrestleMania. Just look at their Dragon Ball Z-inspired entrance out of a giant box of cereal at WrestleMania 32. Or their hosting gig the following year that had them decked out in Final Fantasy XIV gear as well as introducing a returning Hardy Boyz. Generally, if the New Day is involved, it's going to be something extremely entertaining.

Besides, this isn't just any random tag team match, in case you had forgotten - it's a match for the W-W-E-RAW-TAG-TEAM-CHAMPIONSHIPS *wiggles hips*. And AJ Styles winning a tag team championship in WWE actually means something big.

#3. AJ Styles is still in a title match, you guys

When it comes to championships in WWE, AJ Styles has certainly not been lacking. He's a two-time WWE Champion, a three-time United States Champion, a former Intercontinental Champion, and even a Slammy Award winner. In fact, he's just one championship away from being a Grand Slam champion, and, you guessed it, that's the championship he's vying for this weekend.

Styles isn't just part of a random team of two wrestlers - I mean, I love the Dirty Dawgs over on SmackDown, but that's the textbook definition of a "thrown together tag team." He and Omos are an already established pairing. Much like Shawn Michaels and Diesel before them, this is a pairing that does a lot for both men's careers and not so much a case of "well, we have to do something with them, right?"

Considering that the tandem is also challenging the longest-reigning tag champions in WWE history (who are well on their way to having the most reigns, too, I imagine), this is a pretty important match. And if we want to see the tag team division on either show improve, it's going to need important matches like this.

Let's also take a look at AJ's partner for just a moment.

#2. AJ Styles is helping build up Omos for his WrestleMania debut

The AJ Styles we see on TV might be an obnoxious, self-centered "turd" (a word he used himself to describe his character on his latest WWE Network documentary), but the real guy has been widely characterized as one of the nicest dudes in the business - as well as one of the smartest.

The comparisons to Shawn Michaels/Diesel and Styles/Omos are a dime a dozen at this point, but when you consider that even someone as respected as The Undertaker called Styles "the closest to Shawn Michaels that we have" on Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions, that goes a long way.

Having Omos make his main roster in-ring debut not just at WrestleMania, but in a title match at WrestleMania, means that WWE sees a lot of potential in this 7'3" behemoth from Nigeria - and they have some big plans for him. If that's the case, and Omos becomes as big of a star as WWE expects him to be, this match could eventually be a big moment in the company's history.

Or, he might be a dud. Who knows? But pairing him with someone like AJ Styles at the start of his career is a wise move. Especially considering all the legends Styles has worked with and learned from even before coming to WWE. Stars like Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, and Sting, as well as his experiences in Japan. Who better to learn from than someone who has spent years learning from the greats?

Plus, let's be honest, AJ Styles can already lay claim to being one of the greats himself.

#1. AJ Styles is awesome at everything

We would all love to see AJ Styles in the main event this weekend. When it all comes down to it, though, WWE has a plan for how they want WrestleMania 37 to play out and it can't involve everybody. Considering the chaos involved in getting this year's event set up, it's a miracle that WWE put together the shows that it has so far. Unfortunately, when it comes to the top of the card on either night, there wasn't any room for the man who built the "House that AJ Styles Built."

Rumors had been bounced around that AJ might have had a match with Triple H this year, and who's to say that won't happen next year? But considering that The Game isn't taking on anyone this year, it at least means that Styles wasn't passed over for what is a marquee spot on the show for someone else.

At the end of the day, even if AJ was just relegated to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown on Friday, he still would have put on an amazing performance. That's just how the guy rolls. As much as we'd love to see AJ Styles in a main even match during one of the two nights, we're fortunate that we get to see him in a title match against one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history. Plus, he's teaming with a guy who the company has high (seriously high) expectations for. That's worth something.

AJ Styles might not be in a spot on the card you like, but you can't really say he's being "wasted."

Enjoy WrestleMania 37 this weekend, everybody, and stay safe.

Edited by Ryan Droste