8 New Directions For WWE Champion AJ Styles
2. Marquee Royal Rumble Defence
As he tends to do, AJ Styles gave Randy Orton what was easily the Viper's best match of 2017.
Entertaining as it was, it was very much a TV match; it wasn't wrestled in the fastest gear, nor for any vitally important stakes. Still, Styles found a way to make it memorable, if not exactly phenomenal. As the Viper hid in the grass, Styles feigned to springboard into the Phenomenal Forearm, anticipating the catch RKO. He beamed at the ruse before succumbing to it mere seconds later. Styles blended superb old-school heel work with the pace and athleticism expected of pro wrestling in 2017, fashioning a permanent memory from a disposable encounter. He really is the finest talent in WWE.
A PPV rematch fought on a battleground worthy of Orton's supposed legend is a programme that could provide much quality, in itself, and create a genesis point for the inevitable Orton heel turn - a sorely-needed new direction for one of the most stale acts in the entire company.
This would also benefit hugely from its inherent unpredictability; Orton, even treading water, is never too far away from a title reign.