Predicting The Next 10 WWE Champions
9. AJ Styles (SummerSlam 2017)
A prolonged Mahal vs. Corbin program following Baron’s title victory would do nothing for SmackDown’s struggling ratings (and plummeting enthusiasm levels), and WWE would be wise to steer away from such a feud. Instead, they might as well throw the new champion against the most exciting wrestler in the company, who’d almost certainly bring the best out of ‘The Lone Wolf’ in a pay-per-view main event.
The title changing hands at SummerSlam would mean a disappointingly short first reign for Corbin, but WWE must maximise Styles while he’s at his peak. Now 40 years old, he can’t keep defying Father Time forever, and he’s likely going to slow down sooner rather than later. WWE must push him into main event programs whenever they can, and after carrying the blue brand for much of 2016, making him WWE Champion again could be exactly what SmackDown needs to recover.
From there, WWE can book the rest of SmackDown’s year around AJ defending his belt in big-time pay-per-view matches. Given the way the Title has been booked throughout 2017, it desperately needs a high-workrate run from SD’s best wrestler - and another strong Styles reign would go a long way to making it feel prestigious again.