At Survivor Series: WarGames, two friend-turned-bitter rivals, AJ Styles and Finn Balor, will finally battle in a grudge match. Judging by their classic at Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2017, this encounter is expected to be a sure-shot barn-burner with fans on the edge of their seats.
Their rivalry started in September when Balor tried to enlist Styles in The Judgment Day, only to be boldly turned down and ridiculed. After weeks of embarrassment and destruction at the hands of Balor and his stablemates, The Phenomenal One turned to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, reforming The O.C.
The two teams met at Crown Jewel, where The Demon King's troops prevailed owing to interference from Rhea Ripley.
They will write the next chapter in their storied rivalry at Survivor Series in a match that could go either way. Here are five potential finishes for AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor.
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#5. AJ Styles defeats Finn Balor clean at Survivor Series
The Phenomenal One and The Prince are two very evenly-matched athletes with similar styles. Both men could use a statement victory to gain much-needed momentum, but AJ Styles may be more desperate for the win.
The former WWE Champion has not won a singles match at a Premium Live Event since late October 2019 at Crown Jewel, where he defeated Humberto Carillo to retain the United States Championship. This victory drought is a blemish on a successful and meaningful wrestling career.
Second, Demon Balor won their first encounter at TLC 2017. The multi-time US Champion might not have forgotten that crucial loss to his rival. Fortunately, he can redeem himself and level the scores at Survivor Series.
#4. Finn Balor defeats AJ Styles clean at Survivor Series
Although The Phenomenal One may be more desperate for a win, several signs herald a significant victory for Finn Balor. Following The Judgment Day's triumph over The O.C. at Crown Jewel, the faction has suffered some setbacks.
Mia Yim returned to remove the numbers game advantage and neutralize Rhea Ripley. Finn Balor would've been the US Champion had Styles and his good friends not interfered during The Prince's match-up with Seth Rollins.
This past week on RAW, The Judgment Day, lost to The Brawling Brutes. Balor and his friends have had a rough couple of weeks. They don't have much momentum going into the event, which is usually a sign of better things to come.
WWE may look to repair the damage done to the inaugural Universal Champion's aura at Survivor Series with a massive victory over Styles.
#3. AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor ends in a double count-out
Finn Balor and AJ Styles are two invaluable additions to the main roster. Both men bring in a devoted fan base and have enormous talent. As such, they are also two of the most protected superstars, despite what their recent booking might suggest. Neither man could afford to look weak coming out of TD Garden.
Hence, WWE may be tempted to book a controversial, double count-out finish to protect both superstars, as a crucial loss at Survivor Series may make the loser look weak. It would be an anti-climactic end but will set the stage for a future battle towards the year's final days.
One scenario to book a double count-out would be for Styles to put Balor through the announce table with a Phenomenal Forearm, reminiscent of the initial finish of his match with Roman Reigns at Payback 2016.
#2. Rey Mysterio and Angie intervene to help AJ Styles defeat Finn Balor
Judging by the promotional poster, all of The Judgment Day will be at ringside to cheer on their leader, Finn Balor, while The Good Brothers and Mia Yim will be in AJ Styles' corner. Given the animosity, these two factions share, chaos is bound to ensue at some point in the match.
However, Rhea Ripley will not be the X-factor during this bout, as Mia Yim will neutralize her presence. The broken relationship between Rey and Dominik Mysterio may factor into the match's final outcome. The younger Mysterio has disrespected his father and their heritage for far too long since his shocking betrayal at Clash at the Castle.
Dominik and Rhea took things too far when they invaded The Master of the 619's home at Thanksgiving and beat down a helpless Rey Mysterio in front of his wife and kids. The masked luchador may finally decide to teach his son and The Judgment Day a lesson at Survivor Series.
At the match's turning point, Dominik Mysterio's parents could march down to the ring and confront the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion and his allies.
This would open the door for Styles to quickly roll up Balor for the victory. The problem is that this scenario runs the risk of overbooking, but it won't be unprecedented.
#1. Edge returns at Survivor Series to cost Finn Balor a massive victory
Although he keeps reminding everyone of what he did to Edge, The Prince seems to think he is done with The Rated-R Superstar. At Extreme Rules, Balor forced the Hall of Famer to quit while Rhea Ripley shattered Beth Phoenix's skill with a Con-Chair-To.
The Ultimate Opportunist has vowed to end The Judgment Day, the same faction he created. He will not stop until he does so. The cunning Hall of Famer may be waiting for prime time to strike and re-insert himself back into the mix. Survivor Series presents a wonderful opportunity.
As Balor climbs to the top rope to hit the Coup de Grace on a weakened Styles, Edge's iconic theme song would sound through TD Garden. An irate husband and a vengeful warrior would charge down the ring, gaze a hole through The Prince and cost him a massive victory.
A simple staredown would provide a sufficient distraction, but Edge could get physical. The latter scenario does run the risk of over-booking.