Legendary former WWE champion to bring back iconic character upon confirmed SmackDown return? Analyzing recent hint

Currently, WWE is focused on building toward the upcoming Bad Blood Premium Live Event. The Stamford-based promotion is positioning forth its best efforts on both RAW and SmackDown to render excitement for the event. One of the factors that has ignited fan interest in the upcoming SmackDown is the confirmed return of AJ Styles, which was announced on a recent episode of SmackDown.

However, there is a belief that the former WWE Champion might bring back his iconic babyface character upon his return to the blue brand. This belief stems from Styles’ actions during a recent live event match. In that match, Styles faced Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, which ended in victory for The American Nightmare. After the match, the veteran shared a respectful moment with Rhodes, shaking his hand and embracing him.

These actions are uncharacteristic of a heel, which has sparked speculation that AJ Styles may be gearing up for a heroic turn upon his SmackDown return next week.

The last time Styles appeared on WWE television was at Clash at the Castle in Scotland, where he played a villainous role and suffered a loss against Cody Rhodes. With what transpired at the live event, it’s possible that not only will we witness Styles' return to SmackDown, but also the return of his iconic babyface persona.

As a babyface, The Phenomenal One perpetrated the incredible feat of becoming a World Champion. Additionally, his widespread catchphrase, "The House that AJ Styles Built," gained popularity during that time. It will be intriguing to see if WWE decides to bring Styles back as a babyface next week.

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Who could be AJ Styles' first opponent if returns as a babyface on next week's WWE SmackDown?

If the Stamford-based promotion decides to reintroduce AJ Styles as a babyface, a Bloodline member could likely be his first opponent. This assumption stems from Styles’ live event interaction with Cody Rhodes. So, if Rhodes is outnumbered by The Bloodline next week, AJ Styles, as a babyface, might not hesitate to come to his rescue.

This angle could eventually lead to a singles match between The Phenomenal One and a Bloodline member. Triple H could even opt to have Jacob Fatu as Styles’ first opponent if this potential scenario unfolds next week.

Additionally, the company might book Styles' in-ring return on television for the go-home episode of SmackDown leading into Bad Blood 2024, possibly as the main event of that episode.