3 Reasons AJ Styles Must Retain The WWE Championship At Hell In A Cell

Source: WWE.com

Since winning the WWE Championship for the second time in his career at the tail end of 2017, AJ Styles has struggled to elevate the title back to its former lofty status. However, the decline in fortunes of the title can be traced much further back than the second reign of the Phenomenal One. With some foresight and creative booking, Styles remains the best man to hold the WWE Championship and return the most decorated title in the company to prominence.

The downturn in fortunes for the WWE Championship really began shortly after Style’s first reign as champion and following the 2016 brand split. Finding a home on SmackDown Live as the blue brands flagship title, the belt has been held by John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal in the intervening period between AJ’s first and second run as champion.

While Cena and Orton are surefire future Hall of Fame inductees, their respective reigns were mediocre at best. Cena’s record-equaling 16th reign lasted only two weeks, while Orton’s title coronation at WrestleMania 34 will be remembered best for images of insects being projected onto the ring. Furthermore, Wyatt’s first run as champion was merely in the role of placeholder while perennial jobber, Jinder Mahal, did more damage to the credibility of the title in his six months as champion than had ever gone before.

With his current feud with Samoa Joe extending beyond Hell in a Cell to Super Showdown in Australia, let’s look at three reasons why AJ Styles should retain the title on September 16th.