5 Potential opponents for Aleister Black at WrestleMania 36

One of the most dominant Superstars on the main roster today, Aleister Black is yet to find his footing after arriving on the big scene almost a year ago.

The former NXT Champion missed a large part of 2019 due to a lack of creative direction. Despite putting on spectacular matches on RAW, the Dutch Destroyer is starting to become an afterthought in a highly-stacked roster.

After a high-profile feud against Buddy Murphy which saw him pick up three consecutive victories, many thought that Black will be getting the singles' push that he deserves. But, that sadly hasn't been the case.

While Black is racking up quick victories every single week on RAW, it is usually against enhancement or lower-tier talents which has become repetitive and monotonous. Take this week, for instance, where he faced off against Eric Young to a silent crowd, which is saying something, given how hot the crowd was for the rest of the show.

Black's connection with the crowd has taken a severe hit despite his incredible performance. The company has put very little effort into presenting Black as someone whom the fans can get behind.

He hasn't been a part of any major storyline and his character arc throughout his main roster run has been quite bland. In today's work rate era, it is hard to expect someone to get someone over with the fans purely based on their in-ring acumen.

Black is someone who has delivered every time an opportunity has been afforded to him. WrestleMania 36 is going to be an important event in Black's career as his position on the card will be an indication of how the company perceives him going into the future.

Here are five potential opponents for Aleister Black at WrestleMania 36:

#5 Bobby Lashley

When Bobby Lashley returned to WWE on the RAW after WrestleMania 34, everyone believed the Colorado-native was going to right the wrongs of his previous run with the company.

Despite being billed as an unstoppable force, Lashley's first stint with WWE didn't exactly pan out the way everyone had hoped. He did win the US and ECW Championship and feuded with the boss, Vince McMahon, but was never able to win the big one.

Following his departure from WWE, Lashley would make a huge splash in TNA/IMPACT Wrestling where he would become one of the most dominant champions in the promotion's history. The former Intercontinental Champion would transition into a career in Mixed Martial Arts, performing for various organizations all across the globe.

Lashley vs Black will be an interesting clash of styles. We haven't seen Black go up against an opponent as physically intimidating as Lashley. Both Black and Lashley have an extensive background in different martial art disciplines. It will be quite a sight to see Lashley's raw power go up against Black's array of powerful strikes and kicks.

Before we move on to the next part, gear up by listening to our exclusive interview with Lilian Garcia where she revealed how Paige inspires her!

#4 Andrade

Andrade with his business manager Zelina Vega

Ever since taking control of RAW last year, Paul Heyman has constantly tried pushing the newer crop of talent. The former ECW head honcho has made an effort to showcase some of the newer talents on the Red brand every week.

This has resulted in these talents getting ample TV time. One of the biggest names whose fortunes have taken a turn for the good has been Andrade. The former NXT Champion has been a part of the main roster for almost two years now.

The former La Sombra had a lengthy feud with Rey Mysterio during his time on SmackDown before being drafted to the Red brand during the 2019 WWE Draft. The feud with El Rey continued on the RAW as the two have feuded over the United States Champion.

Andrade and Black have previously feuded during their time in NXT. Black won the NXT Championship from El Idolo at NXT Takeover: New Orleans. If the company wants to push Black as the next big thing, having him win the US Title from Andrade at Mania seems like a logical step.

#3 Seth Rollins

Rollins has been on a roll since turning heel late last year

Seth Rollins' metamorphosis into ' The Monday Night Messiah' has been one of the best things on RAW. The former Universal Champion has been able to take all the hate that he has been getting for the last few months and mold himself into a cult-esque figure.

Having AOP and Murphy join him as his disciple has been the cherry on top. Not only has the faction helped Rollins get back in the good books of the WWE Universe, but it has also put AOP and Murphy in a high-profile main event storyline.

Before joining the Messiah, Murphy was embroiled in a highly-competitive feud with Aleister Black. It was frustration from his series of losses to Black that played into Murphy joining forces with Rollins and the AOP. The Best Kept Secret finally got one over Black when he helped Rollins eliminate The Dutch Destroyer in the Royal Rumble match.

This could also mean that Black might be picking up a fight with Rollins soon. The Messiah, on the other hand, would be looking to seek retribution from Black following the suffering he caused his disciple, Murphy.

Black vs Rollins is a dream match for many in the WWE Universe. This feud already has a built-in story and given the quality of the competitors involved, we would expect nothing less than a barnburner from Rollins and Black. All that is left to do is for WWE to pull the trigger on this feud and make it happen at WrestleMania 36.

#2 Triple H

Triple H having a high-profile match at WrestleMania has become a sort of an annual tradition. The NXT head honcho has been a part of several big-money matches at The Grandest Stage over the past few months.

He defeated Batista at WrestleMania 35 in what would be The Animal's final match in WWE. Before that, The Game put over Superstars like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins in consecutive Manias.

The Game has one of Black's biggest proponents since his arrival in the company in 2016. The Cerebral Assasin has heaped praise upon the Amsterdam-native on numerous occasions. Triple H has been a mentor figure to Superstars going through the NXT system. The King of Kings also has a history of turning his back on his proteges.

Triple H currently doesn't have a match scheduled for WrestleMania 36 and Black is currently not involved in any feud either. This feels like the perfect opportunity to pair up Black and The Game for a mega match at Mania 36. A win over the 14-time World Champion will be a huge shot in the arm for Black and his evolution as a main-event Superstar.

#1 AJ Styles

2019 was a rough year for The Phenomenal One. After becoming the face of SmackDown following the 2016 Draft, Styles was moved to RAW during the 2019 Superstar Shake-up.

Sadly, the Phenomenal One hasn't been able to replicate the success that he enjoyed on the Blue brand. Styles' run on the Red brand started with a bang after he won the No. 1 Contender's match to earn a Universal Championship match against Seth Rollins at Money In The Bank 2019. The duo ended up having one of the best matches of 2019 with Rollins retaining his title.

But, the feud had to be cut short after Styles suffered an undisclosed injury during the match which kept out of action for a month. Following his return, Styles would reunite with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson and would turn heel during his feud with Ricochet.

Styles defeated Ricochet to win the United States Championship at Extreme Rules which he would retain for the next four months before dropping it to Rey Mysterio at the RAW after Survivor Series.

Styles had been feuding with Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton in the weeks leading up to the Royal Rumble. The Phenomenal One is currently out of commission due to a shoulder injury he suffered during the Men's Royal Rumble match.

While there is a big question mark laying over his status for WrestleMania 36, Styles has said that he would do everything in his power to get ready for Mania.

Despite being in the company for only four years, Styles has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in the world's largest wrestling promotion. We believe that it's time for The Phenomenal One to take on the role of a veteran and put over younger talent in high-profile matches.

Aleister Black needs a high-profile opponent heading into WrestleMania 36. Styles is the perfect opponent for The Dutch Destroyer at Tampa. Black vs Styles is a match that fans have been wanting to see for quite some time now. With the right type of build, this match has the potential to steal the show, come April 5th.