WWE Crown Jewel, AJ Styles vs Daniel Bryan: Who Should Win vs Who Will Win
AJ Styles versus Daniel Bryan is a match that even the most jaded wrestling fan would salivate to see. Styles and Bryan wrestling for the richest prize in all of pro-wrestling is a dream come true for many and one most observers would never have anticipated occurring.
On November 7, 2017, AJ Styles pinned Jinder Mahal to win his second WWE Championship in Manchester, England.
Almost a full 12 months later and the "Phenomenal One" is still the top man on the Smackdown Live brand.
At Wrestlemania 34 on April 8, 2018, Daniel Bryan made his long-awaited return to the ring after a three-year absence in a heavily hyped tag team match-up pitting himself and Smackdown Commissioner, Shane McMahon versus Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. So smooth was Bryan's performance in his comeback bout that thoughts immediately turned to how quickly the former WWE Champion could regain the gold.
A long seven months later and the "American Dragon" finally has his shot.
Bryan and Styles have only clashed once before on WWE television in April this year, on the Smackdown Live after Wrestlemania 34. That match ended in a No Contest as Styles' Wrestlemania opponent, Shinsuke Nakamura interfered to provoke the non-finish.
It was an entertaining contest while it lasted, however, the feeling was that the pair were holding back for a future encounter.
Friday, November 2 at WWE Crown Jewel is that encounter and their WWE Championship match will surely be a classic bout to rival those the pair contested way back in Ring of Honor over a decade ago.
But who will walk out of Riyadh Stadium with the WWE Championship around their waist? Styles or Bryan? Who should win the title match and will that same person actually win the bout?
SK analyses what the outcome should be and what it likely will be.
Who Should Win? Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan last held WWE Championship gold in June 2014 when he was forced to relinquish the title he had memorably won in the main event of Wrestlemania 30 due to a series of injuries, most seriously of which was a post-concussion syndrome, which temporarily ended Bryan's career.
So, Bryan is due. In fact, he is overdue. Which is why he should win.
Despite being one of the finest wrestlers in the world today, AJ Styles has had an underwhelming second reign as WWE Champion.
His feud with Shinsuke Nakamura, one of his best opponents in New Japan was massively underwhelming. Worse for Styles is that he only won two of their four title clashes. The same happened in his feud with Samoa Joe. Despite the Joe series being superior to the Nakamura one in the ring, the lack of clean wins has tarnished the legacy of Styles's reign as he appears to be a Champion who can not win decisively.
Sometimes, it is just time for a change and Bryan, having not been Champion for over four years is the freshest Champion WWE could bestow the title upon.
It likely won't happen but it should happen.