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I can speak for all wrestling fans when I say that we LOVE a good match. Back and forth bouts with the fans cheering the babyfaces, and booing the heels. With the recent Superstar Shakeup, the Smackdown Live roster has the potential to outshine their rivals over on Monday nights. With 2018 passing us by, it leaves fans wondering what magic the WWE will display next. Here are 4 Smackdown matches we could still see in 2018.
#4 Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles
Yes, I know it's an old picture but my claim remains the same. Not only would this be a great match on WWE TV, but also we as fans know that we would be in good hands to behold a 5-star PPV match because this lineup is an all-round classic.
AJ Styles' quickness puts Joe in a position where he has to think on his feet and his only option would be to try and lock in the Coquina Clutch.
Samoa Joe can wear you down with a slow and methodical pace. However, he can also kick it up a notch with solid striking and power to balance out his offense, making it difficult for someone like Styles to move with said quickness.
This would be great for both Styles and Joe because not only is this already a classic, but both men are now miles and miles ahead in experience than they were in their many matches around the world.
This is one of those rare matches where the outcome is less important than the actual match. But under the circumstances (Styles being the WWE Champion since November of last year) the belt should definitely be put on Joe here. It would not only be a wise decision by WWE but also the best decision as well.
Will Samoa Joe ever put AJ Styles to sleep on WWE Television?
#3 Daniel Bryan vs Eric Young
At one point in time, both men were in different companies. With similarities in the way they wrestle, many considered this to be a dream match. Much like everyone considered Sting vs The Undertaker to be a dream match when Sting was in TNA.
With Daniel Bryan returning from injury at WrestleMania, it gave him a chance to really get back into the swing of things. Eric Young, along with his Sanity brethren, could be the perfect one to try to put Bryan "back on the shelf" so to speak. Picture this: Sanity giving Daniel Bryan the beat down of a lifetime week after week.
Because Kane is out due to injury right now, Daniel Bryan would take the beating by his lonesome. This scenario not only draws a definitive line between who the fans will root for and who they will boo, but it also gets Sanity over as established heels on the main roster and a group to be feared. Most importantly it gets the fans invested on an emotional level, and what more could you ask for than that?
Having Eric Young pick up the win with the help of Sanity will put him in a position to say "Hey, I beat Daniel Bryan." and it gives Sanity some credibility as a unit as well. It wouldn't hurt Daniel Bryan because most people who were fans of TNA and are fans of WWE, want to see this match. More importantly, he's Daniel Bryan!!!
They could really make this work with more time. They seem to work really well together.
#2 Randy Orton vs Jeff Hardy
Yes, I'm aware that they had a match at Backlash, but due to recent events (Orton's heel turn) we are in for a completely different dynamic. Heel Orton is the best Orton! The same can be said about people like The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Edge, Neville, and so on.
Orton losing cleanly at Backlash did nothing for Jeff as the US Champ (at the time) and it actually hurt Orton more than anything. But we can put that behind us because heel Randy Orton is back and better than ever!
The thing that would make this a match to remember, is adding that element of sick, twisted, sadistic characteristics that make Randy Orton draw so much heat when he is a heel. On the other hand, the reason fans love Jeff Hardy so much is that he adds that perseverance and "Never say die" attitude to the babyface persona. Also, he loves jumping off of things.
Having Randy Orton beat Jeff Hardy would be the logical thing to do in my opinion. Only because you need that outcome to justify his heel turn. Otherwise, his character will become stale with the inability to capture gold, and nobody likes a stale heel.
So he beats Jeff Hardy, goes on to face Nakamura for the U.S Title. It doesn't have to be at Summerslam, let him simmer in his evil Orton ways to really establish himself as the bad guy here.
#1 The Miz vs Daniel Bryan
The Miz is the PERFECT heel for Daniel Bryan. This is probably the most anticipated heel vs face match of this era.
This one dates all the way back to 2010 when Daniel Bryan was a rookie. The Miz's cocky nature and constant ability to tick the fans off, makes you love Daniel Bryan that much more. We as fans knew that they would eventually have to square off one day, especially since the Talking Smack promo in 2016.
When The Miz got traded to Smackdown Live by Kurt Angle, many people were under the assumption that these two were going to settle this feud right away. But WWE have done a pretty good job of teasing a match between them.
Small things like The Miz pinning Bryan in the gauntlet match a few weeks ago, and having a eulogy for Team Hell No, are what have fans on the edge of their seats constantly waiting for Bryan to finally put The Miz away.
The Miz vs Daniel Bryan would be a gold mine for WWE, considering how many times Miz has gotten over on Bryan. So, the pay off for The Miz finally losing to him would be well worth the wait.
