AJ Styles and Finn Balor Set to Lead New Era After WWE SummerSlam 2016

WWE SummerSlam 2016 celebrated a forceful march into the New Era, with AJ Styles and Finn Balor out in front.

Wisely recognizing the immense talent of both men, WWE drew up wins that launched them into position to be cornerstones in the years ahead. In a match billed as a fight to become the face of the WWE franchise, Styles prevailed against the company's golden boy, John Cena. Balor continued the accelerated pace of his main roster run by capturing the WWE Universal Championship.

And just like that, two men who weren't even around for last year's SummerSlam walked away from this event with career-defining victories. Two men who made their names elsewhere and who don't fit the Superstar mold now sit on the top level of the WWE food chain.

The folks at The Canvas Theory podcast joked about the surprising nature of those results:

These booking moves mark a boldness WWE has lacked in the past. So often, the company is hesitant to back new names. But not at SummerSlam. Not in the New Era.

When Styles first started barking at Cena, fans began to worry about the powerhouse "burying" The Phenomenal One. Again and again, the audience has watched as promising wrestlers tangled with Cena, only to exit the rivalry with their momentum depleted.

WWE carved a different route for Styles.

It had the former TNA world champ achieve a rare feat in going 2-0 against Cena in pay-per-view battles.

Per Cagematch.net, Kevin Owens went 1-2 against Cena at PPV events. Alberto Del Rio went 1-3 in his last four encounters of that kind with Cena. Seth Rollins defeated Cena at last year's SummerSlam but lost to him at Night of Champions 2015 and Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2014.

Bray Wyatt owns a 1-2 PPV record against Cena. Rusev fared a bit worse, going 1-3 opposite Cena.

And even when Wyatt and the others did claim victory, they were so often accompanied by asterisks. A creepy child distracted Cena to help Wyatt win; Jon Stewart clocked Cena with a chair to allow Rollins to come out on top.

At SummerSlam, though, Styles won emphatically and definitively. The Phenomenal One outlasted his opponent, no tricks needed.

As Jason Solomon of PWMania pointed out, that win made a loud statement about Styles:

Later in the night, Balor celebrated his own news-making win. Just a month after Raw drafted him, the newcomer from NXT bested Rollins and became the inaugural universal champ.

WWE chose to give Balor that historic moment, painting the lasting image of the paint-covered warrior holding up Raw's new ultimate prize.

It could have instead crowned a more established Superstar. It could have kicked off the universal history's lineage with Brock Lesnar. But WWE made it clear the current era will be a showcase of the new guard.

With that in mind, the company has treated Balor like a megastar from the get-go.

He was the first NXT star who Raw drafted, even with Cena, Randy Orton, Lesnar and Roman Reigns still on the board. On his first night on Raw, he won two big matches, including one against Reigns to earn his shot at SummerSlam.

Then came anointing him the first man to hold the Universal Championship.

Indy wrestler Gran Akuma believes WWE has chosen well in backing Balor. He tweeted in early August:

The successes of Styles and Balor represent a shift in WWE's mindset. In the past, both may have been dismissed as too small. Styles would have been viewed as a castoff from an inferior promotion. Balor would have been seen as someone who appealed to diehard fans but not the mainstream base of the audience.

Perhaps seeing Reigns, a prototypical Superstar in build and look, suffer though a long, boo-heavy journey woke up the company's higher-ups.

WWE fans aren't necessarily looking for imposing gladiators with physiques that look drawn on. More and more, they are connecting with smaller, sleeker athletes who thrill between the ropes. Balor and Styles are in-ring artists who deliver stellar matches night in and night out, and that's been key to them winning over an often fickle fanbase.

The wrestlers did so again at SummerSlam, making their mark on the event with their respective captivating performances.

This is only the beginning. WWE is pushing its chips toward the center of the table, betting on Balor and Styles to be cornerstones for what's ahead.

Styles' defeat of Cena will precede a number of major victories ahead. Balor will get his hands on more gold in the future. Now that WWE has made them flag-bearers of the New Era, The Phenomenal One and The Demon King will be rich with opportunities.

And they showed at SummerSlam and throughout their careers that they know how to make the most of them.