As AJ Styles begins his reign with the Intercontinental Championship, we can’t help but look a the blue brand’s roster and drool with anticipation for the classics the Phenomenal One could deliver.
Styles won the Intercontinental Championship in a 40-minute barn burner with Daniel Bryan last week on SmackDown, possibly showing a return to prestige for the “workhorse title”.
If the right opponents and time are given to the Intercontinental Championship, it will help grow the prestige of the title and make it a must-see on SmackDown.
Drew Gulak
Gulak is an obvious storyline next opponent for Styles, being the coach of the man he beat for the title.
If Gulak were to come to the defence of Bryan following his defeat, that could further the story between himself and Bryan, possibly leading to a feud or leaving them wondering where they go next.
Gulak also has a win over the Phenomenal One, having pinned him the week before he won the championship on SmackDown with a roll-up to give him a legitimate claim to the title.
The two are both exceptionally technically proficient and could deliver a match in a similar vein to the one Styles and Bryan did last week.
Big E
Many have been clamouring for a Big E singles run and a match with Styles would be an excellent test to see if he is ready for it.
This match could show how Styles can try to overcome the size and strength advantage of Big E with his cunning heel tactics.
Big E has previously been Intercontinental Champion and some feel that he should move towards the world championship in the not too distant future. However, as it has been so long since he has won a singles title, it would be beneficial to test him in the Intercontinental Championship picture.
The New Day member should wait for the return of Xavier Woods to make a push for the championship, allowing the good work of the longest ever WWE tag team champions .
Sami Zayn
The man who was robbed of the Intercontinental Championship should return with a chip on his shoulder as he looks to regain the title that he never lost.
Obviously Zayn will not be returning any time soon with the current world events, but if we are to return the Intercontinental Championship to its former glory then Styles should have a long reign.
It would be excellent to see Zayn and Styles replicate the Intercontinental Championship feud between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon in 1994, with both men holding an Intercontinental title and feuding to be the real champion.
The two competitors have previously worked together well previously on SmackDown as Zayn and Owens chased Styles for the WWE Championship.
Zayn has had very few wins over Styles and they have only had one PPV match, facing in a 2-on-1 handicap match at the 2018 Royal Rumble. Maybe this is time for Zayn to finally beat the Phenomenal One.
Cesaro
Cesaro is the most underutilised man in the WWE and he deserves to be pushing for championships.
Despite being on SmackDown together for years, Styles and the Swiss Superman have never met in singles competition – which is criminal in itself.
They are two of the best wrestlers in WWE and it would be an absolute treat to see them lock up in the middle of the ring, with a couple the biggest workhorses in the company competing for the “workhorse title”.
Many people feel that Cesaro should be in the world championship picture with the talent that he possesses. Right now, the best match he can possibly put on is within for the Intercontinental Championship.
Gran Metalik
The name Gran Metalik may take you by surprise as it appears on this list. But that is not because of the talent of the man behind the mask, but the booking of WWE.
The multi-time CMLL champion, under the name Máscara Dorada, could be the Latin American star that WWE continuously craves as they search for the next Rey Mysterio. The prominent roles Andrade and Angel Garza have received shows the company’s desire to create that next star from south of the border.
But don’t take my word for it. Gran Metalik has a huge fan in former WWE champion Daniel Bryan who regularly throws glowing praise towards him. During an appearance on WWE Backstage, Bryan referred to Metalik as:
“One of the premier Luchadores in the world”
He then explained his desire to work with him.
We’ve seen the glowing praise and mentorship of Bryan help make Drew Gulak become a regular on SmackDown. Hopefully, WWE listens to the leader of the Yes Movement once again and allows Metalik an opportunity to show his talents against the Phenomenal One.
Chad Gable
We here at TWM refuse to call him Shorty G.
Chad Gable feels as if he lost a lot of legitimacy as he was handed the worst gimmick in the WWE. But a strong display against AJ Styles could help him to become a star and get the fans behind him once again.
In TNA, AJ Styles had a few classic matches with Kurt Angle, a man who Gable has been compared to as the two wrestle a similar style.
If Gable and Styles were to wrestle a similar way to how Angle and Styles did in TNA, Gable would be considered an absolute star, going toe-to-toe with an all-time great.
Despite the giant hurdle of his new name and gimmick, Gable and certainly get over with the help of Styles, even if he were to lose the feud.