Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles: Keys to Maximizing WWE World Championship Feud

Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles' battle over the WWE World Championship has the ingredients to be a stellar feud. WWE just has to turn up the temperature as they cook.

The wild-eyed antihero Ambrose is set to face the former TNA champ and New Japan Pro Wrestling star Styles at the Backlash pay-per-view on Sept. 11. It's a fresh matchup featuring two intriguing performers.

Styles earned his title shot by taking down John Cena at SummerSlam. Ambrose retained the world title by outlasting Dolph Ziggler at the same event.

SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan then awarded Styles a crack at Ambrose.

How does WWE now take advantage of this smart pairing? How can the company get the most out of Styles' title chase? A merciless Styles, ample verbal sparring and an ending that sees a new champion rise will turn the rivalry into the home run it is poised to be.

More Viciousness from the Phenomenal One

Styles is getting the cocky jerk side of the heel equation right, but he's a touch of savagery away from reaching his full potential as SmackDown's top villain.

The gloating Styles has done since SummerSlam has elevated his character. On the Aug. 23 edition of SmackDown, he strutted around the locker room, throwing it in everyone's face that he had bested Cena at The Biggest Party of the Summer.

The Phenomenal One has since taken to wearing Cena's "Never Give Up" wristband. He continually mentions his accomplishment.

And as WhatCulture writer Adam Pacitti pointed out, WWE wisely has Styles using Cena's old nickname:

All that is enough for Styles to annoy the audience, but not enough to inspire hate.

The Styles-Ambrose feud would benefit from a clearer contrast between good and evil. The No. 1 contender must amp up his level of violence. The rivalry will catch fire should Styles unsheathe his claws and show off his darker side.

He should attack the champ, push around an announcer or injure an opponent on purpose. Styles needs to create a lasting image of his villainy to build on his braggart ways.

Hand Them Mics and Step Aside 

As we saw when Ambrose mocked Ziggler for not being able to win ahead of their SummerSlam meeting, The Lunatic Fringe is at home in intense verbal showdowns. Ambrose and Ziggler regularly outclassed what Finn Balor and Seth Rollins were doing on the mic on Raw. 

Styles isn't as emotive and powerful a talker as Ziggler, but he will be able to hang with Ambrose.

Those rivals need to lay out their narrative. They need to turn up the intensity of this feud. The best way to accomplish those things is to trust both men with the microphone.

Recently, WWE has veered Ambrose away from his goofier side. He's been more focused, more serious of late.

And as Aubrey Sitterson, host of the Straight Shoot podcast, noted, he's flourished as a result:

WWE must maintain a straightforward story between Ambrose and Styles. They have to talk about what the world title means to them. They need to reveal why this is personal.

Leaning on comedy instead would be a mistake. The silly back-and-forth Styles had with Apollo Crews on Tuesday's SmackDown, which centered on spelling, is the exact opposite of what The Phenomenal One's interactions with Ambrose should look like. 

Keep Styles' Roll Going 

Whether it happens at Backlash or during the inevitable rematch down the road, a Styles victory is the best climax to this story.

WWE has to take advantage of Styles' wins over Cena, his popularity and overall momentum. The No. 1 contender is red-hot right now. The timing is right to crown him.

As with Kevin Owens on Raw, going with Styles as champ will infuse SmackDown with a new energy. Ambrose is far from old news, but a title change would add electricity to the brand.

Styles is in the midst of an MVP-caliber year.

He is as adept at delivering in the ring and playing his heel role as Seth Rollins was in 2015. WWE would be wise to jump on the chance to showcase him as champion.

Defeat could then send Ambrose on a downward spiral, setting up a compelling story of failure unraveling him.

WWE may not have planned to hand Styles gold when he first arrived at the Royal Rumble, but his success from that moment on has been undeniable. After tangling with The Lunatic Fringe over the next few months, he should be holding tight to the WWE World Championship, set to lead SmackDown into 2017.