Daniel Bryan to Face Brock Lesnar at WWE Survivor Series After Beating AJ Styles

Daniel Bryan captured the WWE Championship on SmackDown Live Tuesday night, defeating AJ Styles in the main event.

Styles attempted to hit a Phenomenal Forearm on Bryan, but Bryan ducked and Styles hit the referee instead. With the official down, Bryan delivered a low blow to Styles. From there, Bryan nailed his running knee for the victory.

As the WWE champion, Bryan will now represent SmackDown Live against Brock Lesnar in a champion vs. champion match at Survivor Series on Sunday.

Styles was originally slated to face Lesnar. Then SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon announced an impromptu title match after Styles and Bryan brawled to open the show.

The nature of Bryan's win signals a clear heel turn. To drive the point home, he attacked Styles after the match and shot dirty looks at fans as he walked back up the entrance ramp.

On paper, Bryan vs. Lesnar has the potential to be a good match; Styles and Lesnar delivered an entertaining bout at Survivor Series 2017. But Lesnar's in-ring work has been a mixed bag since he returned to WWE in 2012, and he may be somewhat hesitant to do too much ahead of a possible UFC return next year.

Bryan being a heel champion on SmackDown Live is the far bigger development. As great as Styles was as the WWE champ on the blue brand, Bryan will bring an entirely new dynamic.

It's also a refreshing change for Bryan, who had been a beloved babyface for more than six years when including his brief retirement. WWE could only get by for so long relying on the goodwill from Bryan's triumphant comeback in March. At some point, he needed to do something drastic or risk growing a bit stale.

Now, Bryan is poised to immediately become one of the hottest wrestlers in the company again.