After The Miz turned face on RAW, another WWE character change must take place on SmackDown

The Miz's days as an obnoxious WWE heel appear to be over. On the October 30 episode of RAW, Imperium (Giovanni Vinci, Gunther, and Ludwig Kaiser) were guests on the Miz TV. By the end of the segment, The A-Lister suffered a three-on-one beatdown and received cheers from the crowd with every punch and kick he threw.

The storyline development came as a surprise to many fans. Although The Miz had performed as a bad guy since January 2020, his act never became stale. In fact, out of everyone on the roster, the two-time WWE Champion was one of the last people who seemed in need of a character change.

Over on SmackDown, the story is a little different. One of The Miz's top rivals in 2022, AJ Styles, is viewed by many to be among the best in-ring talents in the world. However, he has not been involved in a compelling main-event angle since 2020 when he feuded with The Undertaker ahead of WrestleMania 36.

It is not an exaggeration to say the Styles of 2016-17 was one of the top WWE heels of the last decade. Vince McMahon had doubts about the former TNA star at first, so much so that he initially planned to have Ryback "squash" him. Over time, Styles proved his worth and became one of McMahon's marquee names.

The current version of The Phenomenal One performs as a babyface alongside fellow O.C. members Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Michin on SmackDown. While the group's presentation is not exactly bad, they are unlikely to receive the same top billing that Styles had as a heel singles competitor.

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AJ Styles should be a top priority in WWE again

In 2021, AJ Styles spent most of the year in a tag team storyline that was designed to showcase the up-and-coming Omos. Similarly, while his 2022 battles with Edge and Finn Balor didn't exactly disappoint, the rivalries largely revolved around the formation and evolution of The Judgment Day.

Styles missed several months at the start of 2023 due to an ankle injury. After returning in May, he only competed at two premium live events (Night of Champions and SummerSlam) before being taken out by Solo Sikoa.

It looks as though a storyline between The O.C. and The Bloodline could be on the cards when Styles returns. Beyond that, perhaps it could be time to experiment with another bad-guy singles run for The Phenomenal One.

Do you think AJ Styles should turn heel in WWE? Let us know in the comments section below.