WWE Elimination Chamber 2017: 3 Reasons AJ Styles Should Win
By Bryan Heaton
2. Clear Direction for WrestleMania
If AJ Styles doesn’t win at Elimination Chamber, what does he do at WrestleMania? The card is getting pretty full, even for a 4-5 hour show, and spots are becoming scarce.
If we start looking at confirmed matches, as well as heavily rumored and likely matches, there’s seven bouts already set:
- Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar
- Big Show vs. Shaquille O’Neal
- Triple H vs. Seth Rollins (if Rollins is healthy)
- Undertaker vs. ??? (likely Roman Reigns)
- Randy Orton vs. WWE Champion
- Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
- Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho
That doesn’t take into account the somewhat traditional multi-man ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship, any tag team matches, or any women’s matches. There are a few other matches rumored (John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse, for one), but these are the major ones.
In recent years, there have been between 7-9 matches on the main card, and 1-3 on the kickoff show. Let’s say that the above matches, plus an Intercontinental Title match, one tag match, one women’s match, and the mixed tag match are official. That’s 11 matches already, and the card is basically full.
Where does Styles end up if he’s not the WWE Champion? Could he face Undertaker instead of Roman Reigns? Probably not; that match is already being teased. Would AJ be in the battle royal, or the Intercontinental Championship match? It would be a slap in the face to someone who has carried SmackDown since the draft to be relegated to something like that.
A spot in the WWE Championship match is the best way to give the best wrestler in the company a clear path to a WrestleMania match.