Roman Reigns' Role in Bloodline Civil War, Cody Rhodes' 1st Feud, More Quick Takes | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Despite falling short of beating LA Knight at WrestleMania 40 and taking a back seat on SmackDown for the last year, AJ Styles is on the verge of becoming the new No. 1 contender to the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Backlash.

Knight was able to get his 'Mania moment by beating Styles at The Show of Shows, but The Phenomenal One makes much more sense as Rhodes' first challenger.

Knight would be better suited in the United States title picture right now while Styles serves as a stepping stone for Rhodes fresh off his huge title win.

The most intriguing aspect of a program between them is that they've never crossed paths one-on-one. In addition to Rhodes leaving WWE mere months after Styles signed in 2016, they were both leaders of Bullet Club at different points in time.

There's history to tap into there, not to mention that their match is guaranteed to be great given their respective skill sets.

Aside from the Fatal 4-Way he was involved in at the Royal Rumble, it's been years since Styles was last utilized in a meaningful manner higher up on the card. Although there's zero chance he takes the title from Rhodes, he's in a prime position to remind the world what he's capable of and why he belongs in more main events.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.