SmackDown Preview: 2-time World Champion to return, Matt Riddle to feud with former MITB winner? (June 19, 2020)

#3 AJ Styles’ celebration after winning the Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown

AJ Styles has a few plans of his own for this week

WWE Superstar AJ Styles defeated Daniel Bryan to win the Intercontinental Championship for the first time in his WWE career. This week, he is set to roll the red carpet and celebrate his title on SmackDown, something that never really goes uninterrupted in WWE. While AJ Styles may be excited to run the ‘house that he built’ once again, his challengers could be different this time.

It is fair to expect that AJ Styles will be a fighting champion on SmackDown. Superstars like Daniel Bryan and Drew Gulak could feud with Styles with the title on the line. Seeing him defend his title against Shinsuke Nakamura would also be exciting. The fans expect that Sami Zayn will also challenge Styles for the title soon but that won’t happen until the latter decides to return for SmackDown tapings.

Last week, there were several reports about AJ Styles being unhappy with Paul Heyman and not feeling welcomed on RAW. Over on SmackDown, he is expected to be used more often, especially now that he holds the IC title. It will be interesting to see what’s next for the ‘Phenomenal One’ on the Blue brand.

About the author

Shruti Sadbhav is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. With a triple major in Journalism, English Literature, and Psychology, she has always been drawn to writing. As an avid sports lover, writing about sports was the finest way to combine her passion with her prowess.

Whenever she writes, Shruti puts herself into the shoes of fans to see how she would appreciate an honest account of anything related to something she follows wholeheartedly with engaging and relevant information to cater to the readers' needs.

Shruti has seven years of experience. She previously worked as a content manager at Fox Sports Asia and as an assistant manager and digital marketer at Kickstart FC. Shruti previously worked in multiple roles in Sportskeeda, where she was a WWE features writer, editor, and content manager. She has over 40 million+ reads across all her writer profiles, giving her an immensely diverse audience across WWE and football.

When it comes to pro wrestling, Shruti does not particularly remember the first match she watched. However, she recalls accompanying her brother and getting hooked when she saw The Undertaker – a fascinating wrestler that she, like thousands of others, believed in.
Her views on pro wrestling evolved as she grew older and understood the intricacies of the business. This allows her to appreciate those who dedicate themselves to the craft and, once in a while, it does become what it has always been touted to be – magical. Her favorite wrestler is Finn Balor due to his persistence.

When she is not working as a writer, Shruti loves to read, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and let Manchester City dictate her weekend plans.

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Edited by Amar Anand