AJ Styles vs. Bobby Lashley will be a true test for WWE’s new regime
Like someone who repairs a non-functioning appliance by simply plugging it in, the Triple H era of WWE continues to win over fans with its outside-the-box approach of…advertising matches to build anticipation for shows, promoting those matches as a big deal throughout the shows (particularly the matches for midcard belts), and booking definitive finishes to these matches.
The latest example of WWE’s newfound creative competence: the company has announced that Bobby Lashley will defend his United States Championship against A.J. Styles.
In addition to the aforementioned promotional shift, WWE also apparently thought that the confluence of defending the U.S. Title in the nation’s capital was too tempting to pass up (we’re definitely getting that John “Bradshaw” Layfield-narrated video package, aren’t we?).
A.J. Styles vs. Bobby Lashley has the potential to be a great match, but it will also be a test for WWE’s new creative regime.
For the most part, WWE has booked the lead-up to this match soundly. Styles is coming off of a win over The Miz in a no-disqualification match in last week’s Raw main event and was a win away from challenging Lashley for the title on the Aug. 1 episode.
Combine that with Styles chasing off an interfering Miz while Lashley retained his title over Ciampa on the Aug. 8 Raw and you get a decent story that keeps the respective issues between Styles, Lashley, Miz, and Ciampa simmering. Plus, giving Styles a title match following a big win reinforces the idea that wins and losses matter, which helps fans re-invest their energy into following the matches instead of dismissing them as filler.
That said, Styles vs. Lashley puts WWE in a familiar position where it has two wrestlers that can ill-afford to lose. Presumably, WWE would want to keep the championship around Lashley’s waist, but Styles has also lost more than he should have over the last couple of months.
Pre-Triple taking over creative, this usually means to expect a non-finish to keep either from eating a pin, typically with outside interference from heels since this is a babyface vs. babyface matchup. To be honest, that would be an acceptable outcome if WWE rarely used it and if the US Title carried more credibility.
Unfortunately, neither are true. Yes, the Vince McMahon-led regime created those messes (among others), but it’s a mess that this new creative braintrust led by Triple H has to clean up, and going back to the same lazy tropes would exhaust the little good faith the company has rebuilt over the last couple weeks.
Next. WWE brought back Hit Row at the perfect time. dark
The good news is that Triple H and company know this, and will probably book a clean finish to render this piece pointless (or a definitive-ish one with some shenanigans beforehand). If that happens despite the obvious urge to script a DQ, countout, or no contest, it will show that we have truly entered a new era of WWE television.