#4.) AJ Styles reigns supreme for the first time
AJ Styles was the second pick in the first round of the WWE Draft in 2016. It was clear that he was going to be an integral part of the brand but nobody expected him to rise to the top as quickly as he did. For starters, he resumed his feud with John Cena after both were drafted to SmackDown and failed to become #1 contender to the WWE Championship.
He managed to beat Cena clean in an all-time classic at SummerSlam 2016 and immediately after, he became the default #1 contender to Dean Ambrose‘s World title. They would face off in the first SmackDown-exclusive PPV Backlash, where Styles cheated to beat Ambrose and become a World Champion for the first time in WWE – less than 8 months from his debut at the Royal Rumble that year.
It was monumental and despite being a heel, fans were thrilled the next night when AJ Styles posed with John Cena’s armband around his head while proudly wearing the WWE Championship.
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