WWE Extreme Rules 2012: Could A.J. Cost Sheamus the Title?

As we head into the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, there is a great deal of curiosity surrounding the role that SmackDown diva AJ will play in the two-out-of-three falls World Heavyweight Championship match between Sheamus and Daniel Bryan.

Per the storyline, Daniel Bryan (surely one of the worst boyfriends on TV) publicly and embarrassingly dumped his long-suffering girlfriend AJ after unfairly blaming her for his loss at WrestleMania 28.

In the weeks since, the desperately lovesick diva has made frantic and slightly pathetic attempts to win back her lover in various skits and segments on SmackDown—but to no avail.

This heartbreak has spilled over to her wrestling career too: On last week's episode of SmackDown, after yet another harsh rejection from Bryan, she brutally busted open Natalya in their match, the first real hint of a heel turn for the usually goody-two-shoes diva.

In a product often filled with erratic booking, limited character development and stop-start storylines, the AJ/Bryan saga has emerged as one of most fluid and consistent angles of recent times. 

But is this the direction the AJ character is destined to go? At this point, it seems possible, maybe even likely.

 As the diva attempts to redeem herself in the eyes of Bryan, she may decide that helping him win back his world title from Sheamus is the only way to do it. In his treatment, Bryan may even be manipulating her into acting on his behalf at Extreme Rules.

With this in mind, it is very easy to envision a scenario in which AJ wanders out at Extreme Rules and provides a distraction, ensuring her man walks out of the AllState Arena in Illinois as the new World Heavyweight Championship.

Of course, it may not be this simple, and it is far from guaranteed AJ will turn heel at Extreme Rules and cost Sheamus his beloved title.

For one thing, AJ is a natural face, even garnering comparisons to legendary early ‘90s valet Miss Elizabeth. Indeed, AJ has the potential to be the first diva that truly branches out from the gaggle of generic divas and becomes hugely popular with the fans, most of whom view her sympathetically and are drawn to her likable and endearing nature, like Miss Elizabeth.

Considering this—turning her at this point when she is in the process of winning over the WWE Universe—may be unwise.

Another issue is that it may now be far too obvious that AJ will help Daniel Bryan at Extreme Rules. WWE’s booking team has, in recent times, been shown to change their plans on a whim if the plans leak out or they think everyone can see a storyline development coming.

With this in mind, WWE could decide to keep the star babyface, perhaps choosing to have her come out and cost Daniel the title, in revenge for his poor treatment of her over the past few months.

It would be a fitting end to her storyline romance with the star, as well as providing a feel good moment for the show.

Summarily, it is very possible that AJ will aid Daniel Bryan in his quest to win back the World Heavyweight Championship at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view. From a storyline point of view, it makes sense and would be consistent with AJ’s increasingly unhinged character. However, don’t be too surprised if WWE, aware that everyone is expecting this twist, changes its mind and do something entirely different on the card.