WWE Royal Rumble 2019: 10 Things We Learned

7. AJ Styles' Time Atop SmackDown Is Temporarily Done

AJ Styles
WWE.com

AJ Styles has some direction. Unfortunately, it's a downward one.

A supreme, elite level worker like AJ is belongs in the mix for an upper card spot. He's earned his stripes in WWE, become a multi-time champion and proved to be Mr. Reliable against all comers. Post-Rumble however, WWE may wish to make use of his skills to help enhance someone else rather than keep him in the title picture.

There's a sense that Styles' story with Daniel Bryan is close to a conclusion, and there's an even bigger sense that AJ isn't dethroning everyone's favourite bearded eco warrior. That's especially true now Bryan has a bodyguard (the returning Erick Rowan). Both, despite excellent matches, need something fresh to do.

For Bryan, that means moving on to a new challenger. For AJ, it means dropping down a notch on the SmackDown pecking order and, again, challenging himself by working to enhance a newcomer's reputation with fans.

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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.