A decade ago, AJ Styles and John Cena were working for two different promotions and they were both beginning to create decorative profiles for their careers. Both superstars were considered to be leaders of their companies’ respective locker rooms and many fans pitched the idea of the dream match: AJ Styles Vs John Cena. Now, a decade later in 2016 at WWE’s sixth annual Money In The Bank Pay Per View, we shall finally witness a dream match in the making.
The 2016 WWE season is at the halfway point and there is no denying that the WWE have taken their chances well upon their signings of talent to add to their roster. Amongst those signings that had the WWE universe leap from their seats was the signing of “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. Already a global star who essentially put TNA on the map and even managed to captivate New Japan Pro Wrestling for two years, it is fair to say when he debuted at the Royal Rumble in January that many WWE fans had their dream come true, however, last week fans were served yet another treat by the WWE when John Cena made his long awaited return.
On the May 30th edition of Monday Night Raw, John Cena finally made his long anticipated return to the WWE in what the company can consider a blessing in disguise. Typically, Cena cut a promo on his return. Then AJ Styles made an appearance during the segment and instantly fans caught light of what was to come next. Styles and Cena exchanged words creating a segment that had wrestling fans dreaming and as the two embraced in a handshake, it was very much obvious what was going to transpire. During this segment, all was to come to a head as WWE’s newest signings from New Japan, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows both interrupted both Cena and Styles, who a week prior had seemingly parted ways with the two, thus ending The Club.
As Anderson and Gallows vowed to clear the ring of both Styles and Cena, a heel turn for AJ Styles was cemented, as AJ Styles blindsided John Cena and both Anderson and Gallows attacked Cena as well. This assured fans that The Club were officially still a stable and this at the same time cemented AJ Styles first heel run in the WWE. With John Cena laid out and The Club standing over him, it became clear that this was going to be an angle, thus setting up a match between AJ Styles and John Cena. Then it was announced that at Money In The Bank that AJ Styles will take on John Cena.
Then on this past week’s on the June 6th edition of Monday Night Raw, AJ Styles cut a promo that could be considered to have broke the proverbial fourth wall. John Cena began compromising how only a few years ago wrestling fans dreamed of seeing both himself and AJ Styles in the same ring, but he wanted to know why Styles blindsided him along with The Club. Styles answered to Cena by stating he “had a plan, to get in the ring and punch (Cena) in the face”. Styles said “you insult me,John Cena” as Styles followed up by claiming he would “run circles” around John Cena, fans began to witness a promo with fantastic storytelling between both superstars. Cena began playing down AJ Styles WWE run since January, stating he could not win the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and now he believes that by beating Cena he can elevate himself, but Cena refused to be a custom to this.
Once John Cena asked why AJ Styles was not heading against him one on one but with The Club (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) at his side, AJ Styles would then proceed to break down the fourth wall in something WWE has not heard on TV since the infamous CM Punk pipebomb. “Once you wrestle John Cena and lose, it’s time to get out the shovels. Because guys like (Cena) bury guys like me” at this point the feud which is only a week old has reached personal levels as essentially AJ Styles was implying that John Cena buries other superstars and that in itself will ultimately build to a very personal feud between the two over the course of the following Pay per views.
At Money In The Bank, the match that wrestling fans dreamed of 10 years ago will finally happen. AJ Styles vs John Cena, two men who were considered to be the faces of their respective companies prior to AJ Styles signing with the WWE, will answer a lot of questions, but the most important question of all for all wrestling fans: Who is the better wrestler?
(Main Photo: WWE.com)
