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Wednesday, August 24, 2016

After SummerSlam I'm now an AJ Styles guy

Courtesy: WWE
By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Not that I wasn't a fan of AJ Styles prior to SummerSlam, but his match with John Cena sealed the deal for me. I don't know a whole lot about his past, I only watched him casually on TNA and when he was in New Japan I saw even less of the Phenomenal One.

When AJ entered the 2016 Royal Rumble, I'll admit I was happy to see him. I wondered though if he'd end up heading to NXT or becoming a part of the main roster. His feud with Chris Jericho was less than I had hoped for and the loss at WrestleMania honestly made me scratch my head in disbelief. I knew he wouldn't unseat Roman Reigns as WWE World Champion, but he brought out the best in the champ. 

Courtesy: WWE
His feud with the returning John Cena was just what AJ needed to take things to the next level. The first victory was tainted when The Club interfered, but the match at SummerSlam was on point. It was my favorite match of the night. The two told an amazing story and I believe the clean pin over "the face that runs the place" made AJ a legitimate WWE Superstar. He's not just a guy from TNA trying to make a name for himself.

Courtesy: WWE
Now to SmackDown Live and the cockiness carried over because he "beat up John Cena." It was brilliant and beating Dolph Ziggler to firmly secure sole possession of the number one contendership is the right move. AJ Styles will be WWE World Champion before the end of 2016. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Dean Ambrose as champion, but the next chapter for AJ has to be a run with the belt. Six months ago I wasn't so sure about that, but now I'm convinced. Speculation has already started that Cena gets his redemption at Mania in April, adding the title into the program makes things all the more interesting.

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