Best Scenario for the Bullet Club at Payback

Ever since Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows made their WWE debut, the WWE Universe has been buzzing with questions, surrounding the possible arrival of the Bullet Club. The two, helping AJ Styles win matches, despite denials of collusion from both sides, heated up the topic even more. All eyes are set on Payback. The question is: Can we expect the Bullet Club at the PPV and if yes, how will that happen?

At first, it seemed like the Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles feud was going to lead to the long-awaited Reigns heel turn. Roman not bothering to try to please the fans and treating AJ with a lot of condescension surely helped that possibility look probable. However, with ex-Bullet Club members Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, attacking Reigns to aid Styles, things leaned towards Roman, playing the victim again. Now, the Phenomenal One denies any involvement in the attacks. His friends confirm his story. But things look suspicious, to say the least.

There is the possibility that AJ Styles is playing mind games with Roman Reigns. In that case, we can easily expect Gallows and Anderson to cost Roman the title at Payback. Then as all three friends celebrate, Gallows and Anderson would raise AJ Styles on their shoulders, proclaiming him as the leader of the Bullet Club. That would make AJ Styles heel and the Bullet Club will take its usual heel shape. Roman Reigns would come out of the story, the martyr, who’s been done wrong by the evil stable that owns the numbers’ game. I find this image of Roman Reigns highly unbelievable. It just wouldn’t work with the WWE Universe. The fans love AJ Styles and can’t wait to see the Bullet Club, so the audience will never take Reigns’ side in this. It wouldn’t be the first time the WWE has tried a ludicrous idea to make Roman more liked and yet, I don’t see it happening.

A more plausible version is to have AJ Styles reject Anderson and Gallows. Picking an argument with them and telling them that he doesn’t need them and that they are only embarrassing him, would trigger a response for the obviously heel duo. That would give them a motive to screw the Phenomenal One at Payback. Then, the victory for Roman Reigns will be blamed on Anderson and Gallows, allowing Roman to sneak out with the title, without taking all the heat for beating the crowd’s indie darling. This scenario, however, could also include a Bullet Club reunion. Just not with Styles.

On Thursday night, Finn Balor suffered a shocking defeat and lost the NXT Championship to Samoa Joe. The fact that the title changed hands caught the fans by surprise because the match took place at a non-televised WWE event in Lowell, Massachusetts. Balor, ending his reign as the longest running NXT champion, couldn’t have had a better timing. Despite selling an ankle injury at the live event, Finn didn’t have any issues walking out of the building, or getting on the tour bus. Furthermore, he addressed the screaming crowd with a short and simple: “See you on Monday”, implying that Balor would make his RAW debut next week. The entire incident was caught on camera by the fans outside the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Suddenly, the Balor Club and Bulletproof T-shirts the WWE sells became more than a tease.

However, I don’t see Finn Balor, appearing on RAW. That would be too early. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s “trolled” the fans. It’s more likely that Balor’s debut will be held off till the end of the week at Payback. Next time we see Balor, it should be at NXT. He’d announce he’s leaving and he’d get resepct, hugs and all the cheesy comments you can imagine. Then, Hideo Itami should return and crash Finn’s party, claiming that Finn was the one who attacked him in the parking lot and injured him, not Kevin Owens, as people suspected. Balor would then proceed to attack Hideo and leave him unconscious. That would be the last NXT will see of Balor. The heel turn wouldn’t be that much of a surprise, knowing that over the last couple of months Balor’s demeanour changed. He became more brutal and more vicious in his matches. The people will appreciate the arrival of the Demon.

Then, at Payback, Gallows and Anderson would come out during the Reigns vs. Styles title match.  AJ would confront them, asking them to leave because he wants to win on his own. They’d then attack him, causing a DQ and helping Roman retain. The Phenomenal One will do a decent job of holding his own against his two former buddies until Finn Balor shows up in full body paint and finishes him off. This would mark the begging of the Balor Bulletproof Club. The feud between AJ and Finn could go on for months and it would definitely make the fans happy.

It’s the perfect solution. Finn Balor gets to make an impact on his way to the main roster. The fans get the Bullet Club and a feud between Styles and Balor. And Roman Reigns gets to remain champion until SummerSlam in a more or less tweener position. Reigns wouldn’t be involved in the unfair loss of AJ Styles at Payback and that would shield him from the fan rage. The WWE simply couldn’t have a better win-win scenario.

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised