Smackdown Live is moving forward its storylines towards the Elimination Chamber at this moment. There will be a men’s division championship match inside the destructive structure that is making its return to WWE programming. It is coming back on February 17th where the WWE Championship will hang on the balance.
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The reigning champion Daniel Bryan will defend it against five different superstars. AJ Styles is one of them whose status might be in jeopardy in this match courtesy of an injury. Recently, an injury scare broke out around the two-time WWE Champion on Smackdown. We received some update on this via a reliable source.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave updates that AJ Styles is indeed dealing with an injury. He is suffering from a hernia at this point that is preventing him from competing inside the ring. He last appeared in a match at WWE Royal Rumble against Daniel Bryan. His efforts to regain the WWE Championship came up short.
Two days later, WWE COO Triple H confirmed that the prestigious title will once again be on the line at Elimination Chamber. AJ Styles will be one of the competitors who is getting yet another chance to win the title for the third time in his career. This is a good indication that WWE officials are hopeful that he will be okay to perform in time for the PPV event.
However, the source has not given any confirmed update on AJ Styles comeback to in-ring competition. So there’re still some doubts on his Elimination Chamber 2019 and WrestleMania 35 status. It depends on the severity of the injury whether he will be available for involving in physical capacities.
It is interesting to note that despite the concussion, AJ Styles got physical in the main event segment of Smackdown. He delivered a Phenomenal Forearm on Jeff Hardy to stand tall to end the show. This is a positive indication that the hernia injury is not something serious. So he should be okay within the Elimination Chamber.
The hiatus from competitions can come handy for him since Wrestlemania season is coming up. AJ Styles will have to take additional booking during that phase since he is the ‘face that runs the place’. He has already been a rigorous scheduled during his entire title run. So he might be needing this timespan desperately to recuperate and come back, better than ever.