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Phenomenal Beginning
AJ Styles astounded the professional wrestling world when he debuted on the WWE roster in 2016 at the Royal Rumble. Styles is one of few established superstars to bypass WWE's developmental system entirely (NXT) and was immediately rocketed to the main roster, where he has prospered ever since.
He defied the odds despite by being of medium physical stature, almost 40 years old (when he debuted) and a well-established, non-WWE creation (many of which WWE have sabotaged or overlooked in the past: the 2001 WCW/ECW 'Invasion' angle will get you up to speed).
Styles had one of the best debut years in WWE, right up there with the likes of Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar. Soon after debuting, he was given a prominent role to shine with the likes of John Cena (beating him clean at SummerSlam 2016), had his first WrestleMania match with Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 32) and defeated a then red-hot Dean Ambrose at Backlash 2016 to win his first major title in WWE, the World Heavyweight Championship.
Satisfying direction for the 'Hair That Runs the Square'?
The best thing for Styles might be to change brands: jumping from the face that runs the place on Smackdown to Monday Night RAW. This comes at a risk, as RAW has become increasingly cluttered and Styles might get lost in the shuffle like others who have made the transition before him (i.e. Dean Ambrose who was at his best on Smackdown Live, especially in 2016).
The company should also ensure crosses paths in singles competition with the likes of Seth Rollins, Cesaro along with recent NXT call-ups (i.e. the currently oddly paired Ricochet and Aleister Black). We've also now witnessed Styles as World Champion (multiple times) working in both the face and heel alignments. It might be better suited now pursuing a different title or elevate the tag division on RAW, a facet of the WWE roster that is in desperate need of renewal.
Regardless of brand, WWE should revisit/reboot the angle involving him attacking Vince McMahon backstage (occurring in December 2018). This appeared to be a watershed moment for Styles to tweak his bland character (which has always been his weakest attribute), but it ultimately went nowhere.
After rampant rumors and speculation, it's been recently confirmed Styles will be resigning with WWE. While he's demonstrably defied all expectations and been consistently portrayed as a top, main-event player in WWE - this comes to the surprise of many inquisitive fans.
A longtime industry veteran, Styles began his professional wrestling career in 1998, later making a name for himself in Ring of Honor (ROH), before landing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now called Impact Wrestling) where he became a highly decorated champion and the face of the brand for many years.
Styles is likely ready to take on a lighter road schedule, meaning he'll be featured less prominently on WWE television and more of a utility role. I also don't see Styles returning to WWE after this latest extension expires. Styles is a well-known family man, having been married for almost two decades with four children. Styles will turn 42 in June and has even previously stated he'd like to hang up his boots by a reasonable age.
What's next for Styles?
After dominating the main event scene on Smackdown Live, it's hard to see where Styles goes for here, maintaining longevity in a place that's both creatively intriguing and has potential to top his previous efforts. His next major challenge comes in the form of Randy Orton at WrestleMania 35 on April 7th, 2019.
