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It's finally happened. Apollo Crews has won the United States Championship. It wasn't an easy road, but after nearly six years in the company, Crews claimed his first title in WWE after beating Andrade on RAW last night.
Apollo Crews' difficult road to the US title
It's the nature of his journey that makes the win all the more important, especially for the WWE Universe. Crews had the upper hand a few weeks ago on RAW against El Idolo and he seemed primed for a win. However, a storyline injury resulted in the referee stopping the match, and Apollo had to back out of the Money in the Bank ladder match as well.
Now that he is the Champion, Apollo Crews has a wide variety of Superstars he could tussle with and in turn elevate both the United States Championship and WWE's mid-card. So without further delay, let us look at five opponents for Crews now that he's a Champion.
#5 Andrade
There's a great possibility that Zelina Vega might storm out to the ring on next week's episode of RAW and ask for a rematch for her associate Andrade. Given the heads-on kind of competitor that Apollo Crews seems to be, he might go ahead and accept the demand.
Now, El Idolo hasn't had the greatest of runs as the US Champion, however, he did hold on to the title for the majority of 2020 thus far. He even put up a great match against Apollo Crews before eventually eating the pinfall and dropping his title.
Moments after the match, we saw an absolutely infuriated Andrade backstage breaking and tossing anything that he could grab hold of. So after such an incandescent breakdown, it seems rather obvious that he'll be coming back for his title. But given the momentum that Apollo seems to be having now, don't expect him to lose the United States Championship anytime soon.
#4 Angel Garza
Angel Garza has had a quiet few months ever since making his explosive RAW debut in February this year where he assaulted his real-life cousin Humberto Carrillo. After a failed attempt to claim the RAW Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania, the former Cruiserweight Champion has had a below-average run in the company.
That changed this week because he secured a monumental victory over Kevin Owens on the Red brand. And following such a huge win, Garza might want a shot at the United States Championship.
Is Angel Garza next in line for Apollo Crews?
Now that both Garza and Andrade are the associates of one Zelina Vega, the Lethal Lothario might claim that since Andrade lost the title, it's only fair that Garza gets a shot too. Or WWE Creative might spin a narrative where Garza says that he'll weaken Apollo Crews by feuding with him, only so that El Idolo can pounce on him later and reclaim his gold.
Yes, there's a good chance that Garza might continue his feud with Kevin Owens but there's a great chance that WWE might push him into the title picture in the mid-card of RAW by pitting him against Apollo Crews.
#3 King Corbin
We're already in the era of brand-to-brand invitational matches wherein Superstars from RAW and SmackDown can make appearances on a brand they're not officially assigned to up to four times a year. And we've already seen several such crossovers, one of them involving King Corbin himself.
Now WWE loves a heel vs babyface fight and there's no heel in the company that draws the ire of the fans like King Corbin does. However, there's more reason to schedule a match between The King and Apollo Crews.
History between Corbin and Crews
Now Apollo Crews and King Corbin have crossed paths in the past. Both these Superstars feuded back in NXT in a storyline that culminated at TakeOver: London back in 2016 with Corbin picking up the win.
We all know that The King loves to gloat so this could be the angle heading into the match wherein Corbin looks down on Apollo Crews because he's beaten him already. This could set up a one-off grudge match between the two that might not advance any storylines, but would certainly showcase the incredible wrestling ability of both these Superstars.
#2 Aleister Black
Not long ago it was being reported that WWE has plans of turning Apollo Crews heel. Given the massive fandom that he's come to enjoy of late, I don't really know if the company will go ahead with the originally intended plan. However, if they decide to do so, then Aleister Black would be the perfect opponent for Crews.
What if Apollo Crews turns heel?
Aleister Black might not have a highly vocal connection with the fans, but he certainly has his admirers. The Dutch Destroyer has been booked very strongly for more than a year now and only since Money in the Bank have we seen him hit some bumps during his journey. Thus, he will act as the perfect foil for Apollo Crews.
Black might be embroiled in a feud with Seth Rollins and his disciples right now but once he's done with that, WWE must put him in a title picture because that seems the logical step after months of booking him strongly. And since Drew McIntyre seems to be having his hands full right now, a run for the mid-card title, i.e., the United States Championship seems imperative.
#1 AJ Styles
Here's another match-up that could happen thanks to the brand-to-brand invitational rule. This is also a match that would certainly take care of the ratings problem for WWE while elevating Apollo Crews in the process.
AJ Styles is in the Intercontinental Championship picture right now. Now we don't know yet how he'll fare in the remainder of the tournament, but irrespective of the end result, WWE has a good enough story at hand to pit The Phenomenal One against Crews.
AJ Styles replaced Apollo Crews at Money in the Bank
That's right. Styles made his return on the go-home show of RAW before Money in the Bank and won the Last Chance Gauntlet Match to take the spot vacated by Apollo Crews in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
WWE can use this angle to set-up a pride match between the two and in case Styles wins the IC title by then, it would become a Champion vs Champion affair. Such a match would certainly help put the mid-card of WWE in the spotlight again.
