What’s the story?
SmackDown superstar AJ Styles defeated Luke Harper to earn a shot at Bray Wyatt’s WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33.
Styles initially won the match with Harper’s foot on the rope, but Commissioner Shane McMahon would restart the match. This resulted in Styles and McMahon getting into an altercation which was interrupted when Harper accidently kicked McMahon and knocked him out.
This allowed Styles to capitalise and he landed a Springboard 450 Splash, pinning Harper clean in the ring to become the new number one contender.
However, Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton ended SmackDown by turning on Bray Wyatt and announcing his goal to fight for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, which may lead to a confrontation between Styles and Orton on next week’s show.
In case you didn’t know...
Styles and Harper competed in a 10-Man Battle Royal on last week’s SmackDown to determine a new number one contender. Both men would be the final two combatants, but would be eliminated “at the same time.”
This resulted in General Manager Daniel Bryan making a match between both men for next week’s SmackDown to determine a new contender for the WWE Championship.
Also read: WWE News: Fans want AJ Styles to main event Wrestlemania 33
Rumours for the WrestleMania card have indicated that Shane McMahon will be fighting AJ Styles and that Orton, Harper, and Wyatt will compete in a triple threat match for the WWE Championship.
Though the matches haven’t been announced by the WWE officially, the rumoured outcome has begun to develop and will likely be announced in the coming weeks; the same could be said for these two feuds.
The Heart of the matter
While Styles did win the match this week, the fact remains that Styles’ feet hit the floor before Luke Harper last week and this could result in Styles being stripped of his title shot or having to fight to defend it.
This could not only set up the rumoured Styles-McMahon match but could lead back to the rumoured Wyatt Family triple threat match for the WWE Championship.
What’s next?
If the WWE want to incorporate the fact that Styles’ feet hit the floor first in the battle royal, then the revelation will likely take place next week on SmackDown in order to stretch things out until WrestleMania.
All of the big matches for the Blue Brand have begun to take shape, so all they have to do now is build them up with good feuds and interesting segments.
Sportskeeda’s take
There’s no changing any of the matches rumoured for WrestleMania at this point, so expect to see Styles either be stripped or lose his #1 contender’s spot in a match next week.
Many fans would rather see Styles fight in a more high profile match at WrestleMania, but the WWE appears to be set on these plans for now.
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