The WWE Draft brought many new faces to SmackDown, including several NXT Superstars. One of those NXT superstars was Grayson Waller, and tonight was the premiere of his Waller Effect program on SmackDown. His first guest was Phenomenal AJ Styles, who would face Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions, and during his conversation with Waller, he mentioned that Rollins was on a movie set. We know from the set photos that the movie is Marvel’s Captain America: New World Order, and we imagine Rollins will have his own response when he’s not on set. As for Styles, he’s got his next challenger too, but it’s not just Waller.
Waller started things off fairly professionally, telling Styles that he was the first Farmers’ ballot and reminding him of what Styles told him during that meeting in NXT. Waller then asked him about the WWE Heavyweight Championship, and Styles told him he wanted it more than he could breathe. Styles then talked about his preparations and stated that while Rollins was on a movie set, he’s here and ready to win this thing.
spoiler?@employee @employee #smack down pic.twitter.com/GzjUIxXQN4
– WWE on FOX (WWEonFOX) May 20, 2023
Waller said that this is the most anticipated match at the event for him and that he is looking forward to when a new champion is crowned. Waller has been quite complementary to Styles up to this point, but you know things are going to take a turn, and they sure did. Waller said he can’t wait to hear “And New” when the new champion is announced after the match, and when he said “And New,” he ended it with “Seth Rollins!” This clearly upset Styles, who stood up, threw his chair to the floor, and faced Waller. Waller knew exactly what he was doing, and he met Styles face to face.
time is passing, @employee! ⏳ @employee #smack down pic.twitter.com/XQdC0fEuLG
– WWE on FOX (WWEonFOX) May 20, 2023
This exchange might lead you to believe that Waller is Styles’ next feud, but later in the episode, we get a promo from Karrion Kross and Scarlett. Cross said “They say justice is blind, and surely that must be the case, because I am the imminent threat to justice, and it has absolutely no idea… is it you… Alan.”
Scarlett then revealed a Tarot card with Styles’ picture on it, and Cross ended things with a “Tick Tock”. Fans were surprised to hear Kross refer to Styles by his real first name, and it looks as though Kross vs Styles will soon be appearing on SmackDown. Cross previously feuded with Shinsuke Nakamura before he was drafted to Monday Night Raw.
Interestingly, Styles already has several feuds in the works heading into the World Heavyweight Championship with Rollins. It will be interesting to see how WWE plays this out, because just because he already has other feuds doesn’t mean he won’t win the title at Night of Champions. It seems odd that Styles, who is a SmackDown star and part of the SmackDown faction The OC, would have two feuds and then win the title, which is scheduled to be defended on Monday Night Raw.
It suggests that Rollins is once again the favorite to win the title, but WWE has thrown many deflections at us before, and they could do it again here. We’ll have to wait and see, and with Night of Champions not too far away, at least we don’t have to wait much longer to see who comes out with the title.
What do you think of Styles’ remarks and his next opponents? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
