AJ Styles vs. Shorty G and New Rivalries That Would Spice Up WWE SmackDown

WWE's SmackDown brand has received an infusion of talent in recent weeks, with AJ Styles making the move from Raw and Matt Riddle getting called up from NXT.

There is no question that the arrival of the aforementioned Superstars has freshened up the blue brand's roster significantly, but with Extreme Rules and then SummerSlam approaching, new feuds could help in that regard as well.

As WWE continues to build toward an important point on its pay-per-view calendar, here are a few potential SmackDown rivalries that could add a great deal of intrigue to the product moving forward.

AJ Styles vs. Shorty G

It didn't take Styles long to make a major impact on the blue brand, as he ran through the Intercontinental Championship tournament and beat Daniel Bryan in the finals to win the IC title for the first time in his career.

Styles lost to Riddle on last week's SmackDown, is scheduled to face Drew Gulak this week and is still preoccupied with Bryan as well, so there is no question that The Phenomenal One has a lot on his plate right now.

Even so, entering into a new rivalry in the future could not only be a good thing for Styles, but it could help elevate a talented member of the SmackDown roster to heights they have never reached as a singles competitor.

Shorty G is a former Olympian in amateur wrestling and is as good as they come technically. He also has a big personality that he hasn't had the opportunity to showcase as often as he would probably like.

WWE has been building up Shorty G in recent weeks, as he had a strong showing in a battle royal and subsequently beat the likes of Cesaro and Mojo Rawley. If WWE has big plans for Shorty G, then a feud with Styles could be precisely what he needs to reach that next level.

Styles and Shorty G faced each other in a singles match on SmackDown a few years ago, and even though there wasn't much of a story, it was well received. Building an actual issue between them and blowing it off with a pay-per-view match would give fans something they can sink their teeth into and get excited about.

Shorty G and Styles are two of the best athletes and technical wrestlers WWE has to offer, and the WWE Universe is undoubtedly clamoring to see them go one on one at some point.

Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross

Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross are two-time WWE Women's Tag Team champions, and they have enjoyed a great deal of success together, but their time as a tag team has seemingly run its course.

After dropping the titles to Bayley and Sasha Banks and then falling short in their attempt to regain them, there isn't much left for Bliss and Cross to accomplish together, but they could add plenty of value to the SmackDown women's division as individuals.

Ever since Bliss and Cross became a tag team, fans have expected Bliss to turn on her friend and reveal that she was using her all along. That still hasn't come to fruition, but it remains a good path for the creative team to take.

Bliss has always been at her best in a heel role, while Cross can play the sympathetic underdog role well. If they settle into those respective characters, they have a chance to put forth a fantastic secondary rivalry in the SmackDown women's division.

It's pretty much all about Bayley and Sasha on the blue brand's women's side right now, while Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are involved in a secondary feud as well, although there isn't much meat left on the bone since Sonya has beaten Mandy multiple times.

It almost always feels important when a longtime tag team breaks up, and it's easy for the fans to get invested when they feel like someone they root for was done wrong by someone they trusted.

Bliss vs. Cross could be a quality feud both in terms of matches and promos, and whoever prevails in the end will have the momentum they need to chase championship gold on their own.

The Miz vs. John Morrison

After teasing tension between them a couple of weeks ago, The Miz and John Morrison could potentially be on the verge of splitting up.

Miz and Morrison faced Braun Strowman in a Universal Championship match at Backlash. They entered the match thinking they would be co-champions in the event of a win, but the rules were changed on short notice and they were informed that whoever scored the pinfall would be the sole champion.

As a result, Miz had a lapse in judgment during the match, as he pulled Morrison off Strowman at one point because of his desire to win the title for himself.

The Miz and Morrison briefly addressed the situation on Miz TV last week and then brushed past it, but it is entirely possible that WWE did that in order to lay the groundwork for their eventual breakup.

As entertaining and fun as Miz and Morrison have been together, SmackDown doesn't put much emphasis on the tag team division. They also aren't anywhere near being contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships currently.

That means they would likely be better off on their own, which is especially true for Morrison since he hasn't gotten a chance to have a singles run since returning to the company in January.

Morrison's style could make him a successful singles babyface, while Miz has a long track record of thriving as a singles heel. Both Superstars are excellent in their own ways, and a feud between them would give SmackDown one of the most compelling midcard storylines in all of wrestling.

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