6 New WWE Directions After Battleground 2017

3. AJ Styles Is Once Again A Challenger

Kevin Owens United States Champion
WWE.com

As quickly as he defeated Kevin Owens in Madison Square Garden to become the new United States Champion, poor AJ Styles is now once again a challenger rather than champ. WWE only booked the title switch in MSG to spike interest in live events (and reportedly give AJ another landmark moment to crow about on his upcoming DVD), but it was shocking to see him to lose to KO on Sunday.

Like other beaten champions in WWE regularly do, Styles should receive a rematch at SummerSlam for the title. The question is: why couldn't his first run with the US gold last just a little bit longer? What was the big rush for WWE to take the title from him? It doesn't make much sense, but it has taken things in a new direction.

The writers must be careful though, because booking another KO defeat at SummerSlam could damage his credibility as a heel. He's already been ousted from the World Title picture this year, so Owens doesn't need to play second fiddle in the secondary title hunt too.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.