Why did AJ Styles beat Bobby Lashley on WWE SmackDown? 4 reasons he will face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship

A clinical performance by AJ Styles on WWE SmackDown led to the end of Bobby Lashley's journey to the World Heavyweight Championship. He was one of the favorites to face Seth Rollins at Night of Champions after performing well in the first round. Unfortunately, a Phenomenal Forearm took down The All Mighty.

The WWE Universe is intrigued by the ending of the blue brand show tonight. Many considered either Edge or Lashley to get the dub but Triple H had a surprise up his sleeve. Criticisms and theories are trending on Twitter, although it seems scripting The Phenomenal One's win was the right decision ahead of Night of Champions.

In this list, we will look at four reasons why AJ Styles defeated Bobby Lashley and is about to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.

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#4. Bobby Lashley has more opportunities on WWE SmackDown

Bobby Lashley had a lot of positives to take from his run on RAW. Under the banner of the red brand since 2018, he captured the WWE Title twice and boasted victories over Omos and Brock Lesnar. However, in the last few years, the company failed to utilize him in the top card.

The All Mighty consistently lost to Austin Theory. It negatively impacted his prestige. His transfer to WWE SmackDown highlighted new rivalries, so his victory in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament and shift to RAW wouldn't have made sense.

Lashley is rumored to be the biggest opponent Roman Reigns is about to go head-to-head with. Also, The All Mighty could be pitched in a long-term feud with AJ Styles, Karrion Kross, or even Edge. Opportunities are endless for him on the WWE SmackDown brand.

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#3. The All Mighty could be part of another attraction match in Saudi Arabia

In the past few years, WWE has used Bobby Lashley in short-term rivalries due to the Saudi Arabia plans. He got pitted against Goldberg and Brock Lesnar out of nowhere. Yet, those Crown Jewel matches became a huge selling point for the company and exceeded expectations.

Triple H may have similar plans for the WWE SmackDown star. Given that Edge has teased his retirement, wrestling fans in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be eager to watch him in action.

Expect Bobby Lashley to get into a feud with the Hall of Famer in the next few weeks.

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#2. AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are experienced competitors with a history

Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley clashed for the United States Championship, but the rivalry never got intense. Austin Theory eventually got the spotlight after his failed Money in the Bank cash-in for the US Title in November 2022.

This isn't the case with AJ Styles. His history with The Visionary dates back to 2017, when they occasionally teamed up. Both stars also clashed for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship during live events.

They put up multiple stellar shows, so Triple H's decision to book the veterans for the World Heavyweight Championship tournament finale is justified.

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#1. Triple H could be preparing for The O.C.'s heel turn on WWE SmackDown

AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins has only featured once in a premium live event, but it had a vital consequence. The Phenomenal One showed signs of a heel turn before his Universal Championship at Money in the Bank 2019, and it became crystal clear following his defeat at the hands of Rollins.

Following a brief hiatus due to injury, Styles returned and turned heel along with The Original Club. They could be on that route again. WWE SmackDown has a shortage of heel stables, so The O.C. can either pick a feud with the Latino World Order or the Brawling Brutes in the future.

Another loss to Rollins in a high-profile match could make AJ Styles snap. He has been out of the world title program for a while now. If he loses at Night of Champions, watch out for a post-match beatdown on Rollins hinting at a transition to the dark side.