'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On this week's episode of Monday Night Raw, AJ Styles changed the entire landscape of WWE when he finally turned heel and reformed The Club. After successfully securing a win over Ricochet in a non-title match on last week's episode of Raw, Styles challenged for the US Championship on tonight's edition of Raw, in a match which took place twice.
Styles initially won the US Title in the first match, however, the decision was eventually overruled due to Ricochet's foot being under the ropes. Hence, the referee immediately declared the first match as no contest and restarted the bout, as it resulted in a win for Ricochet via a leverage pinfall.
What followed afterwards left the WWE Universe in absolute shock, as Styles shook Ricochet's hand in a show of respect his former Bullet Club stablemates Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, who were at ringside for the match, prompted 'The Phenomenal One'. With Ricochet prepared to fight off the duo, Styles made an attempt to calm things down, only for him to brutally hit the US Champion.
The former WWE Champion then directed traffic and ordered Gallows and Anderson to continue beatdown, as the two hit a Magic Killer and helped Styles in hitting a brutal Styles Clash on Ricochet from the top rope in what will go down as another one of the most memorable beatdowns on Raw, as The Club was finally back on the same page.
With that being kept in mind, Ricochet will surely be needing a few friends from here onwards who could possibly come to his aid and provide a helping hand in his feud against The Club. Let us take a look at the 5 possibilities:
#5 The Major Brothers
At WrestleMania 35, the duo of Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder made history when they won the Raw Tag Team Championships from The Revival at the pre-show. However, it is pretty much safe to say that their run as tag champs of the red brand was very underwhelming and their win-loss record clearly speaks for itself.
Having recently lost the Raw Tag Team Titles back to The Revival, Hawkins and Ryder haven't been seen on television for a while now and having them team up with Ricochet will at least give the two men a bit of exposure on the main roster.
#4 Heavy Machinery
Having recently unsuccessfully challenged for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships, Heavy Machinery will surely be looking to get back on track on the main roster. After a rather disappointing start to their main roster journey, it seems like the WWE Creative Team is finally starting to show their faith in the duo of Otis and Tucker and putting the two men in a feud against AJ Styles and the reunited Club would be certainly a sign of good things to come.
Heavy Machinery is currently assigned to the blue brand of SmackDown Live but with the Wild Card rule still in effect, the team of Otis and Tucker could very well pop on Raw and eventually side themselves with Ricochet for a short period of time. A match between the teams of Heavy Machinery & Ricochet and The Club would definitely be a lot of fun to watch.
#3 Street Profits
This week's episode of Monday Night Raw featured lots of ups (well mostly ups) and a few downs. With the heel turn of AJ Styles, another notable aspect from the show was the main roster debut of current NXT Tag Team Champions, The Street Profits.
Seeing Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins on the main roster this early was definitely a bit shocking but if the duo is to stick around for a while, then pairing them up with former NXT North American Champion, Ricochet would certainly seem like a wise decision.
With Street Profits still being in possession of the NXT Tag Team Championships, WWE needs to make sure that they put the duo in a blockbuster debut feud on the main roster. A long-term rivalry with The Club would surely be bonkers, given the match quality these two teams are capable of putting together.
Personally, I'd love to see all six-men in a No Disqualification Six-Man tag team match at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
#2 Viking Raiders
Up until tonight's episode of Raw, The Viking Raiders didn't really have much of an impact on the main roster. However, as seen on this week's Raw, the duo of Erik and Ivar teamed up with Samoa Joe in a winning effort against The New Day.
Despite not having officially turned heel yet, The Viking Raiders feel more like tweeners by this point and having them team up with Ricochet in a feud against The Club would be everything.
During their time together in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ricochet developed a solid relationship with the former two-time IWGP Tag Team Champions, as part of the Taguchi Japan faction. The three men also notably teamed up on several occasions in multi-man tag matches and it would make all the sense in the world to reunite the three men in a feud against a faction which originally hails from New Japan Pro Wrestling, as well.
The Club vs Ricochet and Viking Raiders have money written all over it!
#1 Finn Balor & Aleister Black
Well, hear me out on this one!
With Ricochet having initially started out with Aleister Black on the main roster, surely the current US Champion would turn to the only man who at this point seems like his only ally on the main roster.
Black, who was recently drafted to SmackDown Live, has been begging for someone to pick a fight with him and on last week's SD Live, it seems like someone finally knocked on his door in order to pick a fight with the former NXT Champion. However, we still don't who that "someone" is, as a matter of fact, it could be anyone and with the Wild Card Rule still in effect, it could even be AJ Styles himself!
Nevertheless, having Aleister Black come to Ricochet's aid at this point seems like a viable option but the duo would need a third man in their team as well. Who do they turn to? current Intercontinental Champion and the originator of The Bullet Club, Finn Balor.
With Balor being left out of the recent reunion of The Club, having him in a feud against his former buddies would surely be a sight to behold and would make sense, as well. If needed, WWE could even pull off a double turn in the future, know what I mean?
