Top AEW star, 2-time WWE Champion: Who could answer LA Knight’s US Title open challenge in Berlin?
LA Knight has laid out an open challenge for his United States Championship on the SmackDown episode before Bash in Berlin.
Follow Us
LA Knight (via WWE)
LA Knight finally captured his first WWE singles title at SummerSlam. The Megastar dethroned Logan Paul to become the United States Champion. Vowing to be a fighting champion, Knight successfully defended his title on the latest episode of SmackDown. The formerly known Eli Drake defeated Santos Escobar in an entertaining clash.
Later on in the show, Knight announced that he would be hosting an open challenge on next week’s episode. Set to take place in Berlin, the newly crowned champion will be defending his title for the second consecutive week. Given the location of the show, a surprise could be in store for fans in Germany. Having said that, here are three possible superstars who could step up to face Knight:
Giovanni Vinci
After almost a four-month absence, Giovanni Vinci finally made his presence known on the blue brand. Vignettes of his new character, similar to his NXT one, have started to air weekly on SmackDown. As such, the arrival of the 34-year-old star is certainly on the horizon. In fact, challenging a star of the caliber such as LA Knight would showcase his in-ring abilities to a wider audience.
More importantly, the Italian star kicking off his singles run on the main roster in front of a European crowd would be beneficial for him. After Imperium broke up, fans expected a feud between Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser. However, WWE separated the pair during the Draft for some reason. Nonetheless, fans are eagerly anticipating what lies ahead for him.
AJ Styles
Another name that has been absent from television is AJ Styles. The two-time WWE Champion last appeared on WWE programming at Clash at the Castle, suffering another loss against Cody Rhodes. Styles was reportedly set to return on the SmackDown after SummerSlam. However, it seems that plans for his comeback have been pushed back.
Given his history with LA Knight, the veteran could return on next week’s SmackDown. If he does accept the open challenge, Styles and Knight will be competing in their third match this year. As both stars are one apiece, the possible bout could pose as the perfect place for them to settle their score.
Ricky Starks
Ricky Starks has been a hot topic of discussion in the online wrestling community. Amid his unexplained absence from AEW television, reports suggest that WWE is interested in signing the 34-year-old star. A charismatic and popular wrestler, Starks’ character would fit perfectly in WWE.
If he has somehow secretly signed with the promotion, what better way to debut him than by not only challenging LA Knight but also making him win the US Championship on SmackDown? However, it is very unlikely that he has reached a deal with WWE. Earlier this week, Tony Khan confirmed that Starks is still under contract with AEW. Nonetheless, only time will tell what the future holds for Stroke Daddy.
In case you missed it:
- “He looks dope”- WWE Universe amazed by first look at Drew McIntyre in ‘The Killer’s Game’ film featuring Dave Bautista
- The Wyatt Sicks seemingly reveal the real reason behind targeting 38-year-old star on Raw
Stay Updated!
Vansh Shah
(1079 Articles Published)