Fixing 2 WWE Booking Botches, WrestleMania 41 Feud For AJ Styles, More Quick Takes

Even with two of the top title matches now set in stone, most of the WWE WrestleMania 41 card remains in a state of flux and likely won't become clearer until after Elimination Chamber on March 1.

One name that hasn't been involved in too many 'Mania-related conversations among fans is AJ Styles, who recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff in the men's Royal Rumble match.

A few different directions have been teased for The Phenomenal One, but there's one particular Superstar who would make the most sense for him to face at The Show of Shows.

WWE also has other issues that need tending to en route to Las Vegas on April 19-20, most notably the dire United States Championship scene on SmackDown.

LA Knight vs. The Miz from Friday's edition of the blue brand merely served as a reminder of the sad state of affairs in SmackDown's midcard at the moment. The same can be said for the women's midcard divisions on both brands and how abysmally they've been booked since the new championships were created.

This installment of Quick Takes will delve into both booking botches, why Harley Cameron losing at AEW Grand Slam: Australia was the right call, NXT being the perfect fit for Ricky Starks right now, and more.

The US Title Is Broken Once Again

The United States Championship lost a lot of its luster while around the waist of Logan Paul, whose sporadic schedule saw him hardly defend the star-spangled prize over a nine-month period.

LA Knight was booked the complete opposite upon taking the title from Paul at SummerSlam 2024. His title defenses were much more consistent and his series of matches against Andrade and Carmelo Hayes in particular were often the best part of the blue brand last fall.

WWE has since taken a significant step backward with the belt by putting it on Shinsuke Nakamura and relegating it to afterthought status. On Friday's edition of SmackDown, Knight expressed his intention to regain the gold, only to be interrupted and challenged to an impromptu match by The Miz.

For as refreshing as the repackaging of Nakamura was when he first resurfaced, his title run has left a lot to be desired. But Knight getting the belt back may not be enough to salvage it at this point, especially if the creative effort is nonexistent.

A quick fix could be to transition the title to either Andrade or Hayes, but Damian Priest would be the best bet.

The Archer of Infamy's upper-midcard status would automatically restore importance to the title, while Knight feuds with Drew McIntyre heading into WrestleMania.

NXT Is Perfect Fit for Ricky Starks Right Now

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Upon being officially released from All Elite Wrestling last Monday, Ricky Starks wasted no time making an immediate impact by appearing on NXT and putting pen to paper with WWE's developmental brand.

For as successful as Starks was in AEW, it was high time for him to make the move to WWE if he wasn't going to be utilized at the same level he was previously. From the get-go, he'll be positioned as a main event player on NXT purely based on how depleted the division is at the moment.

Although the 34-year-old ultimately belongs on the main roster, NXT is the perfect fit for him to start. Unlike others who were also recently released from AEW such as Miro and Malakai Black, Starks has no prior exposure in WWE—at least as a contracted talent—and needs time to establish himself with the audience.

If Starks were to debut now on either Raw or SmackDown, odds are he'd be lost in the WrestleMania shuffle. In NXT, he can be slotted toward the top of the card and ideally be involved in something meaningful on the Stand & Deliver card over 'Mania weekend.

By the spring or summertime, his spot can be reevaluated ahead of a potential call-up.

Harley Cameron's Journey Has Only Just Begun

Harley Cameron has been one of AEW's most popular performers as of late thanks to her organic rise and innate ability to connect with fans through her character and mic work.

Her improvement in the ring over the last year has also been noticeable and was enough to earn her an opportunity at Mercedes Moné's TBS Championship in her home country at Grand Slam: Australia.

While the match paled in comparison to everything else on the show from an in-ring standpoint, the Brisbane crowd being so solidly behind Cameron throughout made for an electric atmosphere.

The reaction the 31-year-old received—as well as the reaction Moné received for winning—is exactly why AEW made the correct call by having her fall short.

There is something to be said for striking while the iron is hot, but in the case of Cameron, it would have been premature to crown her champion when she only just won her first televised singles match in AEW earlier in the month.

Having the Australian win and then drop the belt back to Moné immediately afterward wouldn't have been the answer, either.

Rather, there's a stronger story to be told with Cameron benefiting from her Grand Slam setback and embarking on a winning streak to prove herself as a worthy contender once again later in the year. At that point, whether it be against Moné or whoever's holding the gold, she can finally prove herself by capturing the championship.

Logan Paul Is AJ Styles' Ideal Opponent for WrestleMania 41

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AJ Styles' surprise entry in the men's Royal Rumble on February 1 led to a strong showing and a hot return to Raw nine days later.

He'll face Dominik Mysterio in his first bout back on Monday's episode, but not much more is known about what his Road to WrestleMania will entail otherwise.

Styles' renewed rivalry with The Judgment Day should be short-lived as there are plenty of other appealing opponents on Raw for him to battle at the event, including intercontinental champion Bron Breakker and Logan Paul.

The Phenomenal One crossed paths with Breakker during a backstage segment on the Feb. 10 Raw and hinted at wanting a crack at the IC title he once held. Penta previously teased challenging Breakker as well, but a multi-man contest would be a lazy attempt to get as many people on the card as possible.

If the prestigious prize is to be defended in a singles match, Penta is the better choice for Breakker, allowing Styles to set his sights on Paul—the man who eliminated him from the Rumble—instead.

Nothing would need to be on the line for that to be an attraction. Paul has a proven track record of entertaining matches at 'Mania with the likes of Rey Mysterio, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens, so a bout with Styles would deliver and put The Phenomenal One in a prominent place on the show.

WWE Is Failing Its Women's Midcard Titles

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It's barely two months since the women's United States and intercontinental titles were introduced, and they've already been reduced to stepping stones on SmackDown and Raw.

Women's IC champ Lyra Valkyria and U.S. champ Chelsea Green losing non-title matches on last week's shows—without there being the slightest tease that the women who beat them will receive title shots—exposed an even bigger problem with both belts: WWE clearly does not see either as a priority.

Green has been stuck in the same stagnant storyline with Michin since defeating her to become the inaugural champion at Saturday Night's Main Event two months ago. Worse yet, Valkyria has been a non-factor on Raw in the five weeks she's reigned as intercontinental champ and has instead been positioned as a background player on the red brand.

Of course, neither title is past the point of no return. The champions can be redeemed by being booked better and having a handful of challengers waiting in the wings so their belts feel more coveted.

WWE has enough talent depth on both brands to make the midcard titles worthwhile, provided they're treated with reverence and not negligence.

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.