With WrestleMania season about to begin, we look at five potential opponents that AJ Styles could match up against at the Show of Shows.
One superstar whose plans for WrestleMania are still clearly up in the air is the WWE Champion, AJ Styles. Going into the Royal Rumble on Sunday, Styles is set to defend his championship against John Cena. The winner of this epic match will most likely be the man to head into WrestleMania as the champion for Smackdown Live. No one seems to know the outcome of this match as fans and critics alike feel this is match whose outcome could go either way.
Towards the end of January every year we begin to get ready as WrestleMania season is about to commence. With the Royal Rumble on Sunday, we will begin to get a feel on what some possible matches we could get at WrestleMania.
Going into WrestleMania it seems like we have some matches set in stone. This includes Seth Rollins vs. Triple H, The Big Show vs. Shaquille O’ Neil and Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens.
With all of this going on, there has been no confirmed name as to who The Phenomenal One will square off against in his second WrestleMania. With so many potential match-ups that could happen, we look at five superstars who could clash with Styles at the biggest event of the year.
WWE.com
5. Baron Corbin
In has been an impressive year for The Loan Wolf since moving up from the NXT brand to the main roster last April. On his first night on the main roster, Corbin won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania last year.
From then on, Corbin became a one-man wrecking crew on the roster taking down anyone who got in his way. Corbin was drafted by Smackdown Live in the middle of the draft and has become of the biggest steals of the draft.
After winning feuds against the likes of Dolph Ziggler and Kalisto, The Lone Wolf has now set his sights on Championship gold. On Sunday he will try to make those dreams come close to being a reality when he enters the Royal Rumble match.
If Corbin wins the match it could set up a potential clash between him and AJ Styles at WrestleMania. The two crossed paths very briefly a few weeks ago when Corbin along with Dolph Ziggler challenged Styles for the WWE Championship.
While Styles is currently a Heel right now with his strong popularity he could easily turn into a face setting up this potential feud. Corbin has grown immensely on the microphone and in the ring and has shown that he could be the top Heel on Smackdown Live.
The two could have the classic David vs Goliath type of match and with AJ fighting as the underdog face, could really put on a solid outing. Styles speed and guile could match up well with Corbin’s brute strength and power.
While a match for the Intercontinental Championship seems more likely for Baron at Mania, clashing with Styles for the WWE Championship would not be the worse thing for WWE to consider.
WWE.com
4. Dolph Ziggler
After a 2016 that had a ton of ups and downs for The Former World Champion, Ziggler is hoping to have a solid 2017 campaign. After losing one of the best feuds of the year to The Miz, after losing a fantastic ladder match at TLC in December, Ziggler knew it was time to change things.
After losing once again to Baron Corbin, The Lone Wolf continued an onslaught on the beaten Ziggler. Before Corbin could really annihilate Ziggler, Kalisto came out to his aid to save him. However, Ziggler snapped on Kalisto releasing years of frustration on his former friend.
Dolph’s new attitude has shown him turning on fan favorites and showing an aggression we have not seen from him in years. Dolph hopes this new attitude to help him fuel himself to a win in the Royal Rumble match.
A match between Ziggler and Styles for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania could certainly be considered a show-stealing candidate before it even happens. The two have a very similar style and could click well in a match against one another.
The two have a faced each other a couple of times since Styles has been in WWE, but not on such a grand stage. With both of them being solid in the ring and on the microphone the two could have an excellent program with one another.
Just like with a potential feud with Corbin, Styles would have to turn into a face for this feud to really make sense. However, getting a potential gem of a match at Mania would be worth turning Styles into a face.
3. The Miz
It’s possible that no one had more of Renaissance year like The Miz had in 2016. After doing virtually nothing for the last few years, Miz got a rejuvenation in his career when he won the Intercontinental Championship from Zack Ryder the night after WrestleMania.
Miz would then help bring prestige back to this once important championship throughout the year of 2016. After being drafted to Smackdown Live, The Miz has become one of the top members of The Blue Brands roster.
Miz would hold on to the Intercontinental Championship until a few weeks back when he would lose the Championship to Dean Ambrose on Smackdown Live. With the Championship no longer in his possession, The Miz how now set his sights on winning The Royal Rumble.
As he has done many times throughout his career The Miz might have what it takes to shock the world and win the Rumble match. If The Miz can leave San Antonio victorious it could set up a match between him and Styles at Mania.
Shown throughout his whole career, Miz has had the ability to have a good program with virtually anyone when he is a heel. He is quite possibly the best on the microphone and can hang with anyone in the ring.
Miz and AJ could certainly have a great feud and match at Mania with one another. The basis among the feud could also add Daniel Bryan into the fold. For months Miz and Bryan have been feuding with one another with Bryan believing that The Miz is simply not a good wrestler.
Despite this Miz has continued to prove the Smackdown Live GM wrong becoming one of the top stars on The Blue Brand. Defeating the Phenomenal One at Mania for the WWE Championship would certainly be a major blow for Daniel Bryan as he might finally have to admit that The Miz indeed truly awesome.
Credit: WWE.com
2. The Undertaker
While some might consider this match to be a long shot it might be one of the most realistic choices for an opponent for AJ Styles to have at WrestleMania. Undertaker returned to WWE on an episode of Smackdown Live back in November.
That night The Deadman stated that he was back, and it was assumed that he would be a member of the Smackdown Live roster. However, after being absent from TV for two months, The Phenom returned to TV on an episode of Monday Night Raw.
Confusion then started to hit as people were not sure which brand Undertaker was truly aligned to. The Deadman quickly resolved this issue as he stated that he came and went on whatever show whenever he pleases, stating that he would appear on both RAW and Smackdown Live when he chooses so.
On his return to RAW, The Phenom stated that he was entering the Royal Rumble match. Once doing this Undertaker has quickly become the favorite to win the match. With this victory Taker could the challenge The Phenomenal One at Mania.
This match would be fantastic to see as these two have never met each other in a match before. The two have had great matches with everyone they have worked with and this match could easily become match of the year worthy.
Styles ring wok has been often compared to Shawn Michaels and with the matches we saw Taker and HBK have we could be given a real gem of a match if AJ and The Deadman have a dream match with one another this year at Mania.
Credit: WWE.com
1. John Cena
As John Cena continues his quest to win his record-tying 16th Championship, the best time to see this would be at WrestleMania. Cena and Styles have had one of the most entertaining feuds in recent memory.
The two first began to clash in the Summer when AJ won both of their matches at Money in the Bank and at Summerslam. Styles would carry this momentum to winning his first WWE Championship at Backlash.
Styles and Cena are now set to have their third match win one another at the Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship. Fans and critics alike still have no idea how the outcome of this match might go. One direction they could go is by having Styles win with some interference from his Club Brothers Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
Since the Royal Rumble is a co-branded PPV both RAW and Smackdown Live stars will be at the Alamodome. With this in mind Styles could win dirty with The Club’s help keeping their rivalry alive as they could continue feuding into Mania.
Another way to go is having Cena win his record-tying 16th championship at The Rumble and the have him lose it back to Styles at the Elimination Chamber PPV. This could then invoke Cena to initiate his rematch at Mania.
This could then set up the chance for Cena to win his record breaking 17th Championship against AJ Styles at WrestleMania. With their feud becoming the most must watch in the last few years and their ability to put on Five Star matches with one another, it makes the most sense for AJ Styles to clash with John Cena at WrestleMania.
More from Daily DDT
This article originally appeared on 
