8 New Directions For WWE Champion AJ Styles

7. Styles Clash

AJ Styles WWE SmackDown
WWE.com

From the surreal to the dreamlike; should WWE not retcon this revelation on SmackDown next week, Survivor Series 2017 - a curious, even bizarre pay-per-view line-up finds itself in genuine Card of the Year territory.

Brock Lesnar Vs. AJ Styles possesses immense potential - but perhaps the past is the correct tense to employ. Had this match taken place prior to the construction of Suplex City, the anticipation would be rampant. Lesnar's SummerSlam 2013 bout with CM Punk was an absurd mismatch on paper, but the execution was an absurdly thrilling, traditional David Vs. Goliath-style match wrestled with futuristic athleticism. The precedent is there. Sadly, so too is the nailed-on prospect of Beast Vs. Big Dog at WrestleMania 34 - and if Braun Strowman is just another victim on the Road, you might as well lay a wreath for AJ on the pavement now.

The now-bloated Survivor Series card surely necessitates a shorter, vintage visit to Suplex City - but even then, the prospect of Styles backflipping his way out of German suplexes and raining fast forearms from impossible angles is an awesome one.

Many have lost faith in Lesnar's ability to deliver a proper back-and-forth match - is the deeply religious AJ Styles the man to restore it?

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Contributor
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!