AJ Styles Must Regain WWE Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber 2017

At WWE Elimination Chamber 2017, six Superstars will battle for the WWE Championship in the pay-per-view's namesake match. Among the combatants is AJ Styles, who should be the one to emerge victorious and become WWE champion for a second time en route to WrestleMania 33.

Who will be defending the WWE Championship at WrestleMania remains uncertain. What is set in stone, however, is that Randy Orton will be challenging for the prestigious prize following his Royal Rumble victory last Sunday night.

Needless to say, the chances of John Cena vs. Orton happening for the umpteenth time on the grand stage are slim to none. Rather, Orton vs. Bray Wyatt appears to be likely based on The Eater of Worlds' presence in the Elimination Chamber match and the history they have since late August.

As satisfying as it would be to see Wyatt finally receive his just due by becoming champion, Orton vs. Wyatt isn't a world title-caliber contest for WrestleMania. It would be a fine addition to the undercard of the event, but it shouldn't headline The Show of Shows for SmackDown Live's top title.

Meanwhile, for all the incredible work he has done over the course of the past year, Styles deserves to be part of a significant match at WrestleMania. In order for that to happen, he must regain the gold from Cena at Elimination Chamber.

Credit: WWE.com

Per Figure Four Online (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc), there are reportedly plans in place for Styles to face Shane McMahon one-on-one at WrestleMania 33. That would explain why Styles has brought up McMahon's name on multiple occasions in recent weeks.

While that would be a fun attraction at any other event, it would be a waste of Styles' tremendous talents on the grand stage. It was understandable for him to not be involved in a marquee match at his first WrestleMania, but following the fantastic 2016 he had, he should be prominently placed higher up on the card.

For the past six months, Styles has carried SmackDown Live on his back and has been involved in countless classic contests in that time. In fact, he and Cena had an early Match of the Year candidate at Royal Rumble, as the in-ring chemistry those two have is exceptional.

Cena conquering the one enemy he was unable to beat for so long seemingly signaled the end of their program, but it wouldn't be a bad idea at all to have the two rekindle their rivalry at WrestleMania, given the strong series of matches they have had against each other.

Regardless of who Styles faces on the most important night of the year for WWE, it is imperative he is part of SmackDown's featured title match at WrestleMania. He may not have much experience inside Satan's Prison, but he is the best candidate to capture the championship.

Looking at the rest of the field, Wyatt is the only other option who would make storyline sense to win the Elimination Chamber match. As noted, he and Orton have been on a collision course for months, but Wyatt vs. Luke Harper would be a much more desirable match for WrestleMania.

Orton is already due a shot at the strap at The Showcase of the Immortals, but who he squares off against is key. He and Cena would be the worst possible scenario, whereas a match with Styles would feel fresh and could be a spectacle.

On paper, Orton vs. Styles is a heel vs. heel match, but it should merely be a matter of time before Styles turns face, given how his popularity has surged during his time on top. Orton vs. Wyatt serves as the blow-off to their long-running rivalry, but the match itself could be as boring as their bout at October's No Mercy pay-per-view.

Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin are also slated to contend for the WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber, but they appear to be poised to fight for the intercontinental title at WrestleMania. Likewise, The Miz could be a threat to the title, but Styles is a bigger priority at the moment.

If nothing else, the upcoming Elimination Chamber match will be nothing short of unpredictable and exciting, but if Styles doesn't reign supreme with the title in tow, it could be a rocky Road to WrestleMania for The Phenomenal One.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a Digital Journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.