Roman Reigns and AJ Styles' rivalry dates back 8 years: Origin and details of their feud over the years

AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton will face Roman Reigns in a fatal four-way match at the Royal Rumble this weekend. The champion has established himself as one of the most dominant forces in WWE history. He has also surpassed impressive records, reaching the list of top 5 longest-reigning champions in the company's history.

The fatal four-way match was made as a result of going up against SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis. Initially, it was reported that WWE wanted Roman Reigns to square off against only Randy Orton at the event, but they did not want the latter taking a loss so soon into his return.

The Phenomenal One made his WWE debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble match as entrant number 3. Roman Reigns and Miro (fka Rusev) were the first two participants of the match. As Styles made his entrance, Reigns looked on at his future arch-nemesis. That same year, the two stars were engaged in a heated battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback.

It seems like some things never change, as Styles joined forces with former NJPW fellow mates, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson to form The O.C. The trio squared off against Roman Reigns and The Usos, without knowing that nearly a decade later, it would be a similar fate for all six men, barring Jey Uso.

AJ Styles is a 2-time WWE Champion. While he has competed in a number of Royal Rumble matches, he has not won any.

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AJ Styles claims he wants the WWE title back from Roman Reigns

The last time The Phenomenal One held the WWE Championship was in 2017. Since then he has been part of various feuds and matches against prominent names in WWE.

In anticipation of the Royal Rumble match, during an interview, the 46-year old claimed it was high-time Roman Reigns let go of the championship. Styles stated that it was time for someone like himself to hold gold again. He added that emerging victorious would be an uphill battle, considering competitors like LA Knight and Randy Orton were also in the same boat as him.

The Tribal Chief always has a trick or two up his sleeve when it comes to his opponents, and he has often called on assistance from Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa. Nick Aldis has been setting stringent rules and regulations in place to ensure The Bloodline keeps in line.

Who do you think should ultimately dethrone Reigns? Let us know in the comments.