Matt Riddle and Superstars Who Could Impact Bryan vs. Styles on WWE SmackDown

Friday night's episode of WWE SmackDown is the go-home show before Backlash, but perhaps even more importantly, it will feature the finals of the Intercontinental Championship tournament between Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles.

Bryan and Styles are two of the best in the business, and the fact that they are set to do battle over one of the most prestigious titles in the history of professional wrestling means the WWE Universe is very much invested in their upcoming bout.

The possibility of some outside Superstars getting involved in the match is undoubtedly present, so here is a closer look at some wrestlers who may have a hand in the result of the Bryan vs. Styles tournament final.

Matt Riddle

WWE has been hyping up Matt Riddle's upcoming SmackDown debut over the past couple of weeks, but it remains unclear precisely what Riddle will do or who he will target when he finally makes his first blue brand appearance.

A bout against either Bryan or Styles would be a dream match for Riddle fans, and it stands to reason that he could start a rivalry by injecting himself into Friday's match in some way.

Bryan has shown throughout the tournament that he wants to do things the right way, while Styles has proved that he is willing to take shortcuts and cheat. If The Phenomenal One attempts to get one over on Bryan, Riddle would be the perfect person to step in.

Should The Original Bro thwart AJ's attempt to cheat Bryan out of the Intercontinental Championship, it would give Styles an out in terms of allowing him to claim that he himself was cheated out of the win. It would also pit two of the most talented performers in all of WWE against each other.

There is little doubt that Riddle and Styles could make magic together in the ring, and if WWE truly wants Riddle to be a top star, then there are few better people for him to feud with out of the gate than Styles.

An impactful debut plays a huge role in how fans view a performer, and Riddle would look like a potential main eventer if he plays a role in the finish of Bryan vs. Styles.

Drew Gulak

Drew Gulak has been Bryan's friend and coach for the past few months, and he has already had some involvement in the rivalry between Bryan and Styles.

Last week, Styles called out Gulak and told him that Bryan allowing him to be his coach was a form of a handout. AJ then challenged Gulak to a match, and it ended in shocking fashion when Gulak pinned Styles after the latter got too distracted by Bryan's presence outside the ring.

That loss created a lot of doubt regarding Styles' chances in the tournament final, and since Gulak may be in his head, it would make sense for Gulak to either accompany Bryan to the ring or show up later in the match.

The most likely scenario would see Gulak keep Styles honest and prevent him from breaking the rules, but another option could be for Gulak to screw over Bryan and cost him the IC title out of jealously.

Gulak has essentially played second fiddle to Bryan throughout their partnership, and he even lost to Bryan in the first round of the tournament. Perhaps WWE could tell the story of Gulak's rage building up and boiling over to the point that he turns his back on his best friends.

That would result in Styles winning the title and could lead to a long-term feud between Bryan and Gulak, which would make wrestling purists happy since their technical ability allows them to have remarkable in-ring chemistry.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro

Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro have been somewhat directionless since Sami Zayn stopped appearing on television and vacated the Intercontinental Championship, but getting involved in the tournament final could change that.

Nakamura and Cesaro have had issues with Bryan and Gulak dating back to before WrestleMania, so it stands to reason that they could desire to help Styles in Friday's match as a means of getting some revenge against Bryan.

If that happens, Nakamura and Cesaro could act as Styles' heavies until Zayn returns. Since Styles' previous backup, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, got released by WWE in April, it would make sense for him to embrace two new additions to The OC.

Under the scenario, Zayn could return at some point down the road, leading to a power struggle between him and Styles. Both Zayn and Styles have shown they can be fantastic babyfaces when given the opportunity, so either of them could turn face with Nakamura and Cesaro then aligning with the heel.

A face turn could be especially refreshing for Zayn. For as good as he is in the heel role thanks to having the gift of gab, he was beloved during his time in NXT as an underdog hero.

Nakamura and Cesaro helping Styles would set the stage for so many potential storylines moving forward and add even more intrigue to the blue brand.

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