5 Reasons why AJ Styles replaced Apollo Crews in the Men's Money in the Bank 2020 Ladder Match

Apollo Crews was one of the first Superstars to qualify for the Men's Money in the Bank 2020 Ladder Match, beating WWE legend MVP to earn his spot. While he was gaining an incredible amount of momentum, it all came to a halt with one knee injury in a United States title match against Andrade.

With the referee forced to stop the contest and Crews later being on crutches, he was removed from the spot, and a "Last Chance" Gauntlet match was going to determine his replacement.

The field of competitors comprised of Bobby Lashley, Titus O'Neil, Shelton Benjamin, Akira Tozawa, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Austin Theory, and the returning AJ Styles. While Lashley and Carrillo were the stars of the match, it was The Phenomenal AJ Styles who returned.

When he made his entrance, it was clear that he was in it for the win. He only needed to get through a beaten-down Carrillo to earn his spot.

Here are five reasons why he replaced Apollo Crews at Money in the Bank 2020:

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#5. It was either going to be him or Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley went far

There were only two Superstars who could legitimately have taken his place. While it would have been nice to see Carrillo get a big upset win, the logical choices were AJ Styles and Bobby Lashley.

They were the only "top" stars of the match and Lashley was wreaking havoc before getting himself eliminated via a DQ. Had AJ Styles not been available, it's highly likely that Lashley would have gotten his winner's spot.

Admittedly, it would be fun to watch him squash Superstars from start to finish. But given the status of the two, it isn't surprising that WWE chose to go with AJ Styles. He's a much bigger name and perhaps more suited to a match stipulation like this.

#4. The need for more established talent

Humberto Carrillo facing the wrath of AJ Styles

This is possibly a big reason why AJ Styles replaced Apollo Crews at Money in the Bank 2020. The current field of contestants comprises of Styles, Aleister Black, and Rey Mysterio on the RAW side, while Daniel Bryan, King Corbin, and Otis make up the field on the SmackDown side.

With the RAW side being the stronger of the two now, we could possibly see the winner of both MITB matches from RAW. On the Women's side, Asuka, Nia Jax, and Shayna Bazsler make up half the field, stronger than their SmackDown competitors Lacey Evans, Dana Brooke, and Carmella.

WWE will want big names to draw as many eyes as possible and it doesn't get much bigger as a full-timer than AJ Styles. WWE normally makes WWE Money in the Bank a stacked match with top Superstars. Given the unique nature of the match stipulation this coming Sunday, it doesn't come as a surprise that WWE will want established talent.

#3. He's a better fit for the match than Apollo Crews

Heartbreak for Apollo Crews

Apollo Crews would have been a great addition to the match. However, AJ Styles is a better fit and it's undeniable. Given his high-flying style, the former 2-time WWE Champion makes any match better.

Regardless of the momentum that Crews had, we must remember that AJ Styles is still among the best in the world. With the MITB matches reportedly filmed already, we're likely to see another cinematic-style match-up, which explains WWE's decision to hold the Men and Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Matches at the same time.

Styles just had the greatest cinematic-style match ever against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 36, which instantly justifies his spot in the match. While it may have cost Apollo Crews a big spot, he could possibly have bigger things in line for him, i.e, The United States Championship.

Crews is long overdue for a step-up to Championship level and beating Andrade would give him his first Championship in WWE in nearly five years.

#2. Low ratings

Is WWE making a statement?

During WWE Q1 2020 financial call, Vince McMahon blamed RAW's dipping ratings on Brock Lesnar's absence and establishing new talent:

“It takes a lot to get these new talent over. We no longer have Brock Lesnar anymore, obviously.”

While it might be hard to accept, there is some truth to it. Brock Lesnar brings the ratings and post-WrestleMania, things can dip at times. Moreover, given the circumstances, there seems to be a dip in interest in many aspects of entertainment, not just pro wrestling and WWE.

One way to ensure that they can get those ratings back is by bringing back a big name such as AJ Styles. However, to do that, they need to start making him a focal point of WWE programming again. Given that he's almost always been a main eventer in WWE, it wouldn't be surprising to see him in a big spot again.

In the eyes of many, he would be the perfect challenger to Drew McIntyre, especially since he's a heel and not a babyface.

#1. A WWE title push

3-time?

AJ Styles is a Superstar who exceeded expectations within his first year in WWE. It was clear that WWE brought him in expecting an upper midcard Superstar. Even AJ Styles thought his ceiling might have been the Intercontinental Championship.

However, the cream always rises to the top and it took AJ Styles a little over 7 months to win his first WWE Championship. While it was a great reign on SmackDown, his second reign was a little more notable since it lasted for a full year.

In doing so, he joined an elite list of Superstars to hold the WWE Championship for a calendar year, including Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, and CM Punk.

It's great company to be in and it seems to only be a matter of when and not if he's in the WWE Championship picture. However, one would imagine that McIntyre will be holding the WWE title for a long time. If Styles wins the briefcase, it'll be another massive accomplishment in his career.