LA Knight to lose his title to Solo Sikoa, Massive heel turn? 4 WWE stars who can be the next US Champion
WWE Friday Night SmackDown on the USA Network was a big show. It featured an incredible face-to-face meeting with Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, a teased heel turn from Kevin Owens, and stars fighting to become the number-one contender.
On top of all of that, the show also had a hot opener. LA Knight put his coveted United States Championship on the line against Andrade. Outside of a slip-up near the end, the pair had a fantastic match that rocked the house.
In the end, it was LA Knight who won the bout thanks to a BFT. The two stars shook hands afterward, but now LA Knight is on the hunt for another opponent following his third successful title defense.
With Andrade, Santos Escobar, and Ludwig Kaiser all seemingly behind The Megastar, who is next? Not only who could challenge Knight, but who might be the one to dethrone him? This article will take a look at four performers who may be able to pull it off.
#4 Solo Sikoa could win his first title on WWE's main roster
Solo Sikoa is the leader of The Bloodline. Not only has he overtaken the WWE stable, but he has kicked out Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman in favor of Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu. Now, the four-man group is a destructive force.
The Tribal Chief has his hands full right now. Not only has he tried and failed to win the Undisputed WWE Championship on two separate occasions, but the leader of the new Bloodline is also battling Roman Reigns.
Still, Solo Sikoa clearly has a thirst for gold, so shifting his focus to LA Knight may be a wise idea. Defeating Cody proved to be too much for Sikoa, but The Megastar could be overwhelmed by Sikoa's power and the rest of The Bloodline having his back.
#3 Apollo Crews has been picking up big wins
Apollo Crews has long been one of WWE's most underutilized performers. While he had brief pushes under Vince McMahon, it was never consistent. That was the story for the start of the Triple H era too, but his direction has changed recently.
Not only is Crews on WWE television almost every week, but he has actually picked up a few wins recently. The former champion has defeated Giovanni Vinci in back-to-back weeks, with one win being one of the fastest in SmackDown history.
Crews' momentum could lead the former NXT star to a United States Championship match. The former champion defeating Knight for the gold would be considered a major upset, but it would help his career considerably and finally elevate the 37-year-old into a solid spot on the card.
#2 Kevin Owens could turn heel and win the belt
Kevin Owens has had a lot of success in WWE. He has held mid-card titles, the NXT Championship, tag team gold, and the Universal Title. The Prizefighter has also headlined WrestleMania on two separate occasions.
Owens has recently been teasing a heel turn with Cody Rhodes. The two had a storyline heading into Bash in Berlin, where KO ultimately chose not to betray his friend. Now that Rhodes has agreed to work with Roman Reigns, however, a villainous turn in WWE could be in the cards for The Prizefighter.
If Kevin is turning heel, it could make sense for him to chase another champion: LA Knight. He has already failed in defeating The American Nightmare, so he could instead chase The Megastar's gold.
#1 AJ Styles could return and win the gold
AJ Styles is one of the most successful stars internationally in the modern era. He found great success in New Japan Pro-Wrestling while also being a major name in the United States. Styles is also a former WWE Champion.
The Phenomenal One is no stranger to LA Knight. The two had a heated feud heading into WWE WrestleMania 40, where Knight ultimately defeated Styles. They later had a rematch on SmackDown, and Styles was the one who stood tall that time.
It only makes sense for the two to have one more match, this time with the United States Title on the line. Styles returning and winning the belt while he's putting in some of the best work in his career would be a smart move, and he could also elevate others in the process.