5 dream cross-promotional opponents for AJ Styles

A 23-year veteran, AJ Styles is already a member of the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame and has earned many of the genre's biggest accolades. He's also universally recognized as one of the best in-ring performers of his generation.

During his decorated career, Styles has worked for the biggest promotions around the world and has a shared history with some of the biggest names in the industry. If he were to ever leave WWE, there would be no shortage of suitors for The Phenomenal One.

With that being said, here are five dream cross-promotional opponents for AJ Styles

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#5. AJ Styles vs. Jay White

Despite making his name with Impact Wrestling, AJ Styles cemented himself as one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling when he returned to NJPW and joined the Bullet Club. By this point in his career, Styles had managed to marry his expansive moveset with sound in-ring psychology.

The Phenomenal One put on classic matches with the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada and Shinsuke Nakamura, winning the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Most Outstanding Wrestler Award from 2014 to 2016.

Since he's always going to be synonymous with the Bullet Club, a match between AJ Styles and Jay White, one of the current leaders of the group, would be a tasty proposition. White has come a long way in recent years and is now an NJPW mainstay. He could more than hold his own with Styles inside the ring.

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#4. AJ Styles vs. Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson and AJ Styles feuded over the WWE Championship in 2018 when they were both part of SmackDown. Danielson turned heel and defeated Styles to win the WWE Championship before the duo had rematches at TLC and the Royal Rumble.

As you would expect, the matches between Danielson and Styles were nothing short of spectacular. The two virtuosos would undoubtedly surpass the high standards they set if they could wrestle each other without the constraints of a WWE environment.

Now that he's resumed his identity as The American Dragon, Danielson isn't playing his PG-friendly WWE character. He's rougher around the edges, and his matches contain a level of physicality that would truly test Styles.

#3. AJ Styles vs. Penta El Zero M

Penta El Zero M is on the cusp of superstardom

Penta El Zero M might be the perfect opponent for AJ Styles. One half of the Lucha Brothers, Penta is known for being involved in a number of thrilling tag-team matches. However, Penta has also received acclaim for his work as a singles competitor in other promotions.

Rey Fenix is also accomplished in his own right and is capable of wowing the audience with his acrobatics. Penta, also a former Impact World Champion like AJ Styles, is ready for his break in AEW as a singles competitor. He exudes charisma and marries the lucha-libre style with stiff strikes.

Styles should have no problem putting on a classic with Penta, who is on the cusp of superstardom.

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#2. AJ Styles vs. CM Punk

The last time AJ Styles wrestled CM Punk was at an IWC event in 2004. The two men have come a long way since then and are now both legends of professional wrestling.

While Styles remained with Impact Wrestling for almost another decade, Punk moved to WWE and went on to become one of the company's biggest stars. However, The Straight Edge Superstar had left on bad terms by the time Styles eventually joined WWE.

Since his return to professional wrestling with AEW, Punk has once again become the hottest commodity in the industry. There are a plethora of opponents waiting for CM Punk, but none of them are more interesting than AJ Styles, one of his oldest rivals.

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#1. AJ Styles vs Kenny Omega

The Bullet Club turned on AJ Styles as he made his final appearance for NJPW, with Kenny Omega taking over as leader of the stable. Styles then moved over to WWE and solidified his legacy as one of the best wrestlers in the world, winning two world titles and plenty of other accolades.

Omega's career also went from strength to strength as he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship following a classic rivalry with Kazuchika Okada. He then became one of the founding members of AEW, where he is the current World Champion.

While their shared history makes things spicy, AJ Styles vs Kenny Omega is simply a wrestling purist's dream match. During an appearance on Wrestling Observer Radio, Omega expressed his desire to work with The Phenomenal One. He said:

“Going back to things that I love that never got a sequel or a part 2 or part 3 or 4 or whatever, it never got another season. I hate feeling like it’s over and I want these things to exist in my mind, at least. I think for fans that maybe dug those stories. I never want to completely close the book on them, because maybe, who knows somewhere down the line I might have that match with AJ and I want to be able to call upon that history when the time comes.”