Into A Corner

On Sunday May 1st, 2016, a monumental WWE Title match will take place. AJ Styles, a former PWG, ROH Pure, NWA, TNA and IWGP Heavyweight Champion, will get his first ever chance to win perhaps the biggest title of all when he challenges Roman Reigns. This match will be excellent. Just like Cena, Reigns will rise to the occasion when facing such a star like Styles. This is the match that will direct WWE for the summer months because WWE has a great opportunity here either way they book this. That is, if they don't go the simple Reigns just beats AJ route, which would definitely cause the crowd to riot. Oh, did I mention that this PPV is in Chicago? You know, the same building that vehemently destroyed John Cena back at Money in the Bank 2011? Yeah, it's going to be brutal. WWE really only has two options to salvage this situation.

1. Chicago is going to be a hot crowd, one that will definitely boo Roman Reigns and be solely behind Internet darling AJ Styles. WWE can finally realize that this whole Reigns as a face thing isn't working and finally do what they should've done at Survivor Series; turn him heel. Yes, let Reigns become heel. That way, the boos are meant for him then. He can cheat to beat Styles, do a post match beat up and start a feud with Dean Ambrose for the summer months, which would see Ambrose finally win the WWE Title. Ambrose can win at MITB in June, with Reigns winning the title back at Battleground. SummerSlam could see the big first time meeting between John Cena and Roman Reigns, unless they want to hold onto that for Wrestlemania 33. Reigns needs to turn heel though.

2. So, just in case you've been living under a rock lately, Doc (Luke) Gallows and Karl Anderson made their debut this past week, beating up The Usos. The Usos are Roman's cousins while Gallows and Anderson are former Bullet Club members with Styles. There's WAYYY TOO MANY coincidences in that right? What if, instead of Reigns turning heel (because let's be honest, Vince is so out of touch that he's probably too against that option anyway), it's AJ Styles turning heel? This option is less likely because it would mean Styles would have to defeat Reigns, who just won the title and is already in his 3rd reign, and that's just since November. Anyway, the finish would see Anderson/Gallows come in and hit the Magic Killer while the ref is down and about to attack Styles, but they do some type of bullet esque gesture and Styles takes advantage and wins the title. Awesome right? They could even bring up Balor with them as well. Styles as WWE Champion, Balor as NXT Champion and obviously Gallows and Anderson would win the Tag Titles pretty soon, maybe even at Extreme Rules. This whole feud could lead to a winner take all type match at a PPV. Bulletproof's Styles, Gallows and Anderson VS Reigns and The Usos. Once Bulletproof proves how crazy dominant they are, there will be only one guy left to stop them; John Cena. This could lead to the eventual AJ Styles VS John Cena match, taking place at SummerSlam, which could lead to Balor/Cena down the line and Balor/Styles even further. It could even lead to a big 5-on-5 Survivor Series match with Bulletproof taking on Team Cena. Add Ziggler to Bulletproof just because. Styles turning heel and joining his Bullet Club stable mates just works and could be very fun television for the coming months. Plus, it could lead to heel Balor, which is needed because his face status is very boring. Also, heel Balor VS Nakamura at NXT Takeover in June, YES PLEASE!!

Thanks to this match, Payback looks to be must see. Actually, the card itself could be really good. Styles/Reigns, Cesaro/Miz, Owens/Zayn, Jericho/Ambrose, Enzo and Cass/New Day, Gallows and Anderson/Usos, Charlotte/Natayla, a pre show match of Emma/Becky Lynch, maybe a US Title match and something with the League of Nations and The Wyatts, maybe not because Wyatt is hurt, but this PPV looks promising. Two of these matches was suppose to be on Wrestlemania. Chicago is in for a treat in 2 weeks, IF they go this way. Hey, if they want to cut some corners, why not either Zayn/Owens/Jericho/Ambrose take the US Title from Kallisto? Save some match time because three hours for all these matches just isn't enough for everything to get time. I guess as long as the WWE Title match, Owens/Zayn and Jericho/Ambrose get enough time, I'll be good.

And what's this no Sasha Banks in the title picture thing? Are we just suppose to forget she didn't get pinned at Wrestlemania? SummerSlam is too long of a wait for a woman who is UNDEFEATED in her division. Just saying...

UPDATE: 4/22/16

So, in a new twist, Samoa Joe finally accomplished his goal and won the NXT Championship about 11 months after his debut in the company, ending Balor's record 292 day reign. If you go on social media, many of the NXT stars are posting good bye posts to Balor which points to Balor finally getting his main roster call up. Balor has accomplished everything he could at NXT. He became NXT Champion, barely lost, went undefeated at the Takeover events (8-0) and became the face of the entire brand. While there were still money matches in Balor/Aries, Balor/Itami and of course, Balor/Nakamura, Balor belongs on the main roster. And it just so happens that Balor loss the title with his buddies debuting a week ago. Is this mere coincidence? NO. The longest reigning NXT champion in history doesn't lose his title at a house show without reason. Balor going over at Takeover Dallas makes sense; you can't have the face of the brand lose at the biggest show of the year with his departure coming soon. 

Balor loss the title and probably will probably get his rematch at one of the live events they have this weekend, lose and make his main roster debut soon. This is my new theory on Payback now. 

Styles and Reigns will have a great main event and there will be a referee bump. Gallows and Anderson will come down, only for The Usos to make the save. While they're all busy, Balor will run in and hit that shotgun dropkick in the corner and then the Coup de Grâce. Styles and AJ will do some type of gesture. Styles hits the Styles Clash and becomes champion. I think a Balor/Styles feud is money but give it time to mature. Give the WWE fans a reason to see the match. You gain a new heel group and top heel, which they need and you get Balor on the main roster. This could also lead to The Shield reuniting. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

It's more likely that WWE will just have Reigns defeat Styles with no kind of shenanigans but let's not think like that this time!