Predicting The Next 5 WWE Champions
2. Shinsuke Nakamura (Backlash 2018)
It's only a matter of time before WWE book Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles.
While the performers' ages (37 and 40 respectively) mean the company would be wise to make the match sooner rather than later, they may show restraint. They're SmackDown's top two babyfaces, and WWE don't book such programs often, meaning they'll likely have these two burn through as many heel feuds as possible before pairing them up.
Backlash took place on May 21st this year, so a title change would mean a short reign for AJ, but that shouldn't harm him. His popularity is bulletproof. He can survive any loss, particularly one to someone as beloved as Nakamura, and while WWE's in-ring restrictions would limit the duo's chances of matching their NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 classic, there's no reason to believe they wouldn't have an outstanding match.
The duo could rematch at the next pay-per-view after Backlash, though hot-shotting the belt back and forth wouldn't be a good idea. From there, Nakamura could spend the rest of his summer defending the gold against SmackDown's top heels, before reigniting an old rivalry with a fellow former NXT Champion...