Why AJ Styles Should Win The World Heavyweight Championship At WWE Night Of Champions 2023 (& Why Seth Rollins Should Win)
On the April 24, 2023 edition of Raw, Triple H unveiled the World Heavyweight Championship. Ironically, the Game was the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion in September 2002, and Raw was missing a present World Champion as Roman Reigns has a stranglehold on the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, which he doesn't intend on losing any time soon. Nevertheless, a tournament was held on Raw and SmackDown with Seth Rollins booking his spot in the final on the May 8, 2023, episode of Raw, and days later, AJ Styles saw off Bobby Lashley earning the right to face the Visionary at Night of Champions 2023.
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Seth Rollins is a four-time WWE World Champion in his own right, and Styles is a two-time WWE Champion. Both men will want to etch their names in the history books as the new World Heavyweight Champion. It remains to be seen if the title will follow a new lineage or continue the old one with Randy Orton as the final World Heavyweight Champion at TLC 2013. Both men have legitimate chances to win the title, but let's examine several reasons why Rollins or Styles should prevail.
10 Why AJ Styles Should Win: Unpredictable
Of course, there's a 50/50 split in the World Heavyweight Championship match between AJ Styles and Seth Rollins at Night of Champions 2023, but Rollins is the overwhelming favorite to prevail. The Phenomenal One has recently returned from injury and he has moved to SmackDown once again alongside the OC.
Unquestionably, Rollins is the favorite to win the title and as soon as Triple H unveiled the brand new World Heavyweight Championship, Seth Rollins was the name that was being touted to being the World Heavyweight Champion. Nevertheless, the former two-time WWE Champion who resides on SmackDown, and prevailing at Night of Champions would be a slight surprise.
9 Why Seth Rollins Should Win: Raw Superstar
After the 2023 draft concluded, Seth Rollins remained on Raw. The Visionary is one of the top babyfaces on the red brand alongside his former rival Cody Rhodes. However, with Roman Reigns not appearing on Raw regularly, the void of a World Champion has been missing on Raw.
Rollins is the perfect choice to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions, and since he's on Raw it makes sense for him to win the title. It's unclear if Styles will jump ship to Raw should he win the World Heavyweight Championship, but he has only returned to SmackDown in the draft and it will make little sense for Styles to return to Raw quickly or for SmackDown to have another World Champion.
8 Why AJ Styles Should Win: Brings Some Gold To The O.C.
The O.C. reunited on the October 10, 2022 episode of Raw with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson rejoining WWE and Mia Yim (Michin) joining the faction. In the summer of 2019, Styles was the WWE United States Champion whilst Gallows and Anderson held the Raw Tag Team Championship simultaneously.
With Styles getting injured in early 2023, the group went quiet but they have been relevant once again with Styles in the final of the World Heavyweight Championship tournament. Factions are sometimes judged on championships and dominance, and for Styles to add the World Heavyweight Championship to the group, would be a boost that the O.C. desperately needs.
7 Why Seth Rollins Should Win: Perfect Inaugural Titleholder
Seth Rollins is set to make history at Night of Champions 2023 as he is set to compete in his third match to crown an inaugural champion. He defeated Jinder Mahal for the NXT Championship in 2012, but he came up short to Finn Balor at SummerSlam 2016 to crown the first-ever Universal Championship.
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WWE should pull the trigger with Rollins seeing off Styles at Night of Champions as Rollins will bring legitimacy to the title. A newly-established championship needs an established star which both Rollins and Styles are, but the Visionary has waited a while for another World Championship reign.
6 Why AJ Styles Should Win: Avenge His Loss To Rollins At Money In The Bank 2019
AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are no strangers to battling over the biggest prize in the industry as they locked horns over Rollins' Universal Championship at Money in the Bank 2019. They stole the show in a breathtaking championship match.
Rollins got the job done in a successful title defense, but Styles will be out for revenge in Saudi Arabia. The Phenomenal One picking up the win over Rollins would be monumental and he would level up the score in their rivalry.
5 Why Seth Rollins Should Win: Exciting Feuds
Having the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw would mean that main eventers won't have to go after Gunther's Intercontinental Championship. Seth Rollins holding the World Heavyweight Championship opens up several stars that Rollins could defend the title against.
Rollins lost his trilogy of matches with Cody Rhodes in 2022, and despite the pair between babyfaces, they could have a showdown over the World Heavyweight Championship. Moreover, the likes of Gunther, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, and Brock Lesnar could be potential challengers for Rollins.
4 Why AJ Styles Should Win: Will Defend The Championship Consistently
Despite being one of the oldest wrestlers on the main roster at 45, AJ Styles can still hang with the big boys. The two-time WWE Champion is one of the best in-ring competitors, and should Styles win the World Heavyweight Championship, he will defend the title consistently.
RELATED: Every AJ Styles Title Reign In WWE, Ranked From Worst To Best
Roman Reigns defended the Universal Championship regularly in 2021, not so often in 2022, and the same in 2023. Styles would be a fighting champion and defending the World Heavyweight Championship at every premium live event would bring prestige to the title which will make it feel on par with the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
3 Why Seth Rollins Should Win: Popular Choice
Seth Rollins' "Visionary" theme song has had Rollins being serenaded by the WWE Universe since the fall of 2021. It's a catchy song that has led to Rollins turning face with the reception he has received. Rollins' previous babyface run ended in disaster when he dropped the Universal Championship to Bray Wyatt, but he is one of the top babyfaces in the company who is getting a lot of support from the fans.
Fans wouldn't begrudge Rollins getting his hands on the World Heavyweight Championship as he is one of the most deserving wrestlers on the roster to lead Raw as World Champion. Chants of "you deserve it" have already rang out in the arena.
2 Why AJ Styles Should Win: Final Main Event Run
Time is ticking on AJ Styles' WWE career and he is in the swansong of his WWE career. Styles is due to turn 46 on June 2nd, but he is physically conditioned. Styles' most recent WWE World Championship reign was in the fall of 2018, and Styles has proven that he is a good WWE Champion.
Styles deserves one final main event run and holding the World Heavyweight Championship would see Styles in the title picture consistently as the reigning champion. Coming from TNA, Styles easily could've struggled, but he's been treated like a top star for most of his WWE career.
1 Why Seth Rollins Should Win: Deserves Another World Title Reign
It's hard to believe that Seth Rollins only has four WWE World Championship reigns to his name. He's a two-time WWE Champion and a two-time Universal Champion. Rollins should have had more World Championship reigns for a man of his caliber.
Rollins clinched his second United States Championship in late 2022 and that ended his three-year drought without holding a singles championship. That was a huge win for Rollins, but fans want to see Rollins as a World Champion. Should Rollins beat Styles at Night of Champions, he will become the first man to hold the WWE, World Heavyweight and Universal Championships. He's been incredibly patient and more than deserving of etching his name in the history books as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
