5 Possible ways NJPW could mark the return of AJ Styles
Just over a week ago, AJ Styles' legendary 371-day reign as WWE Champion finally came to an end when 'The Phenomenal One' was defeated for the title by new and now four-time champion, Daniel Bryan. Within a few hours after Styles' shocking defeat to Bryan on SmackDown Live, several reports flooded the internet suggesting that two-time WWE Champion AJ Styles is seemingly negotiating a new deal with WWE.
As reported earlier by us, Styles is apparently looking to sign a new 3-year deal with the WWE and is looking to get a similar treatment like 13-time World Champion Randy Orton, allowing him to appear on WWE TV and on a limited amount of WWE House Shows.
This would not only allow Styles to make a limited amount of appearance at Live Events but will also make sure that 'The Phenomenal One' gets to spend some more time with his family instead of being on the road for the majority of the year.
Addition reports have also claimed that Styles' former promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling has been scouting for new talents and as per SEScoops, NJPW has also reached out to their former stars Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows, who are not only Styles good friends in real life but also signed at the same time with 'The Phenomenal One' in 2016 as well.
Given that New Japan Pro Wrestling is indeed willing to bring back some of their old talents, there is a very strong possibility of them potentially offering a deal to AJ Styles as well, after all, the man is a former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and is in the good graces of the Japanese promotion as well.
During his time with NJPW, Styles was not only one of the top stars in the promotion but was also the frontrunner of the legendary Bullet Club faction, after his current WWE colleague Finn Balor had departed from NJPW and signed with the WWE under NXT.
This being said, if AJ Styles is to indeed make his shocking or rather I say a grand return to NJPW in 2019, the Japanese promotion would have to make sure that they book Styles' return with perfection and in this article we'll take a look at 5 potential ways NJPW could book a historic return for AJ Styles.
#5. Bullet Club frontrunner
Starting with the most obvious one of the lot, the initial reason why AJ Styles became such a household name in NJPW is due to the Bullet Club. Marking his debut in 2014, Styles first came in as the so-called leader of The BC after Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) had departed for the WWE and within no time whatsoever, 'The Phenomenal One' found himself at the top of the realm as he defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship right off the bat.
During his tenure with NJPW, Styles had some of the most memorable matches against the likes of Kota Ibushi, Minoru Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, and Shinsuke Nakamura, however, after two years of sheer dominance as the frontman of The BC, it was finally time for 'The Phenomenal One' to bid adieu.
At New Year's Dash 2016, after competing in a grueling tag team match against the CHAOS duo of Shinsuke Nakamura and Yoshi-Hashi, Styles, much to everyone's surprise was kicked out of the Bullet Club when Kenny Omega first hit him with a One-Winged Angel and then followed it up by a brutal Bullet Club assault.
If Styles is to make his return to Japan, then you would pretty much assume that he is once again going to be the frontrunner of the newly incarnated Bullet Club consisting of the likes of Tama Tonga, Bad Luck Fale, Jay White, Taiji Ishimori, Robbie Eagles and several other big names.
This could not only mark Styles' grand return to NJPW but could very well plant the seeds for a long-term feud against new BC member Jay White.