WWE SummerSlam 2018: Can AJ Styles Survive Samoa Joe’s Challenge?
By Tom Thomas
This week on SmackDown Live, Samoa Joe was announced as the next challenger for WWE Champion AJ Styles at WWE SummerSlam 2018. Can the Phenomenal One outlast the Samoan Submission Machine?
SmackDown General Manager Paige had earlier announced that she would be making a major announcement as to who will face AJ Styles for the WWE Title at WWE SummerSlam 2018. Speculations ran wild as anything could happen. Especially since SmackDown Live is the land of opportunity.
It could have been a tournament to decide a new number one contender or the announcement of a multi-man match for the title. However as it turned out, Styles would now face perhaps his biggest challenge in the WWE. That man goes by the name Samoa Joe. Joe remained true to his predator persona and made the most impact last night. He would ambush Styles from behind and put the champ to sleep.
Now the big question is if Styles can get the best of Joe at SummerSlam, when the title is on the line. Will the Phenomenal One defy the odds once more, much like he did when he went up against John Cena? Or will Joe continue to be the unstoppable monster he has been ever since he was called up to main roster?
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Joe is perhaps one of the most protected NXT call ups in all of WWE. Very few superstars have been able to boast a win over the Samoan Submission Machine.
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are two of the prime names in that list. That tells you how protected Joe’s star power and stature is in the WWE.
Another potential factor that could impact the fate of the WWE title in the WWE 2K19 game itself. Styles will be on the cover of the game and it has speculated that this is one of the reasons why creative opted to keep the title on him despite Shinsuke Nakamura’s multiple attempts at winning the coveted prize.
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SummerSlam would be hitting us on August 19th, still a month and a half away from the release of WWE 2K19. Will that prompt creative to keep the belt with Styles? Or will Samoa Joe continue on his path of rampage and destruction and ascend to the top of the WWE? The weeks ahead should tell us more.