Top star to retire after unfortunate incident, Gunther's next opponent? - 4 Directions for AJ Styles following his injury on WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown last Friday was a big show. The episode featured a Triple Threat Tag Team Ladder Match with The Bloodline coming out on top, plus the first-ever Women's Dumpster Match.
Perhaps the most anticipated aspect of the program was the return of AJ Styles. The veteran made his return after being away from television for several months. He turned babyface and began discussing rebuilding his career and reputation before being interrupted by Carmelo Hayes.
The two had a war of words that even saw LA Knight show up and interrupt things. From there, Melo and AJ Styles went one-on-one, but the match was cut short when The Phenomenal One seemingly suffered an injury. Now, it is being said that Styles has an ankle injury, as first reported by the announcers' team on SmackDown.
Hopefully, AJ's injury won't keep him away from television for long, if at all, but that remains to be seen for now. This article will take a look at a handful of directions for Styles following the surprise SmackDown injury.
Below are four directions for AJ Styles following his injury on WWE SmackDown.
#4. He could retire from WWE
AJ Styles is a veteran of the pro wrestling industry. He broke into the business back in 1998 and went on to have success in TNA Wrestling, ROH Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, indies, and even WWE.
While he has long been known as one of the best pro wrestlers in the world and in WWE, AJ is now 47 years old. Time waits for no man and The Phenomenal One's time is likely coming to an end sooner rather than later. Sadly, this injury from SmackDown may accelerate those plans.
Following AJ's injury on SmackDown, he could show up again and announce his retirement. Unlike the swerve from earlier in the year where he turned heel on Cody Rhodes, this could be legitimate and Styles may say goodbye once and for all.
#3. AJ Styles could move to RAW for one last run and challenge Gunther
AJ Styles has battled it out with many of WWE Friday Night SmackDown's top stars. Throughout his career, he has feuded with the likes of Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, LA Knight, and beyond.
There are still many great stars for him to wrestle with, but most appear to be on RAW. Plus, there is another thing for him on the red brand: the World Heavyweight Championship. AJ could kill two birds with one stone by moving to WWE RAW following his injury.
If he does move to the red brand, AJ could attempt to win one last World Title by challenging Gunther. The Ring General is one of the best wrestlers in the world, so the two would put on something special together if they feuded for the first time ever.
#2. He could get revenge on Carmelo Hayes
Carmelo Hayes is a cocky WWE Superstar who is never afraid to speak his mind. His first official night as a member of the SmackDown roster saw him mouth off to Cody Rhodes. In the months since then, he has done the same to the likes of Randy Orton and Andrade.
Hayes did exactly that to AJ Styles on SmackDown this past week. He belittled the legendary WWE star and future Hall of Famer, calling him an old-timer and alleging he should sign a nostalgia contract. This was before AJ's injury, which likely makes getting hurt all the more frustrating for The Phenomenal One.
As a result, Styles may be planning to return to SmackDown as soon as possible to get revenge and shut Carmelo up. If AJ and Hayes can go one-on-one without a lingering injury, Styles might be able to humble the cocky former NXT Champion.
#1. The Phenomenal One could try to win the United States Title
While the World Heavyweight Championship is quite prestigious, AJ Styles could instead focus on the United States Title. This might be necessary since Gunther and Cody Rhodes will be busy at WWE Crown Jewel following Triple H's major announcement.
This would still be big for AJ and the move would make sense. For starters, he has a lot of history with LA Knight. The two had a couple of major matches in WWE this year and have a 1-1 record. A tiebreaker would be logical.
Beyond that, AJ is a former United States Champion and brought a lot of star power and credibility to the title. One last United States Championship reign for The Phenomenal One could be a lot of fun, but that's only if he can dethrone The Megastar.