What if 47-year-old WWE star returns on SmackDown? - 4 possible directions ahead of Bad Blood
WWE is heading into the final months of 2024 and big things continue to go down on RAW and SmackDown as the year rolls along. Stars like Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Seth Rollins are currently out of action for various reasons but could return to shake things up.
Rollins took a brief hiatus to recover from nagging injuries. Flair injured her knee last December and could return before the year ends. Bliss gave birth in late November last year and has been on a hiatus.
AJ Styles has also been missing from action since losing an "I Quit" Match to Cody Rhodes at Clash at the Castle: Scotland on June 15. If he's primed for a return to SmackDown, it could go down in one of the next four ways before Bad Blood.
#4. Tries to turn Kevin Owens heel
One huge fallout from the alliance between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns has resulted in Rhodes' friends being rubbed the wrong way. Kevin Owens battled his doubt over The American Nightmare's decision to team up with one of his most hated rivals.
It was a big point of last week's SmackDown, leading to two interview segments and a main-event tease of a heel turn. Owens brandished a chair to close the show. The camera angle made it appear as if he was finally going to bash Rhodes with the chair.
He did not take the bait, but Styles could come back to turn Owens to the dark side. Styles' last feud was over the Undisputed WWE Championship, so he may still be bitter about having to say "I quit" in the bout against The American Nightmare in Scotland.
#3. Is AJ Styles done with Cody Rhodes?
A sensible way for AJ Styles to return would be to revisit his feud with Cody Rhodes. Things have changed since Styles last competed as The Bloodline now has fresh members while maintaining its destructive nature atop SmackDown.
Styles was one of Rhodes' first challengers as the Undisputed WWE Champion. He even faked his retirement to get a second shot at the strip, but eventually faded away from the title picture after quitting in his last match.
Since both stars have dealt with The Bloodline, The Phenomenal One can torment his former foe by questioning his partnership with Roman Reigns. Styles can play the two sides against each other since he's had issues with both.
#2. Getting the New Japan Pro-Wrestling band back together on SmackDown
![Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga debuted as new members of The Bloodline. [Image Credit: WWE.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/09/ba9f3-17273817108933-1920.jpg?w=500)
Another possibility ahead of Bad Blood could be to cross paths with the new members of The Bloodline. Styles briefly led The Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship before leaving for WWE.
The group ran all over the NJPW roster with Tama Tonga as one of Styles' stablemates. Tonga Loa joined the group after Styles departed the promotion, forming the Guerillas of Destiney tag team with Tama.
Much of WWE's storytelling is building to a Bloodline vs. Bloodline civil war. The Phenomenal One could return before Bad Blood to cross paths and tease a reunion with Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa backstage.
He could later make a shocking move by reimagining the Original Club on SmackDown. The former WWE Champion could assemble Tonga and Loa as well as Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and potentially even Shinsuke Nakamura.
#1. A WrestleMania 40 rivalry renewed
An easy way for Styles to return before Bad Blood would be to rekindle his feud with LA Knight. The Megastar defeated The Phenomenal One this year at WrestleMania 40.
Another change with Styles absent from SmackDown has been Knight winning the United States Championship at SummerSlam. The roster dynamics shifted over the last three months but another chapter in the Knight/Styles rivalry could be easy to digest.
Knight defeated Andrade last week and may have a future showdown with Carmelo Hayes if he wins the ongoing 'Best of Seven" bouts with El Idolo.
Easing Styles back into the SmackDown flow by gunning for a WrestleMania rival would be a simple and effective feud for the blue brand heading into Bad Blood.