Two months into his Undisputed WWE Championship reign, Cody Rhodes has proved himself as the new face of the franchise and specifically SmackDown.

For as exceptional as he is in the role, the best way WWE can freshen up his main event run is by having him drop the title—if only temporarily.

His renewed rivalry with AJ Styles will breathe new life into both men and should involve The Phenomenal One getting one last run with the gold before he eventually calls it a career.

Will Ospreay should also be world champ in the not-too-distant future. However, it’s more a matter of when than if he’ll be capturing AEW’s most prestigious prize, and it’s possible that it happens as early as Forbidden Door on June 30.

Whether the company intends to crown Ospreay so soon remains to be seen, though it would be premature for Swerve Strickland to drop the strap at this stage.

This installment of Quick Takes will tackle Ospreay being ready for the top of the card in AEW, how to ensure success for Bron Breakker on Raw, the next AEW TNT champion, and more.

AJ Styles remains recognized as one of the best in the world, even if he hasn’t had much to show for it in some time.

A one-and-done with Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship would have been a waste of what he can offer at the main event level. Thankfully, WWE reignited the rivalry on the May 31 edition of SmackDown with Styles feigning retirement and attacking Rhodes.

The rematch is bound to be as excellent as their original encounter at Backlash, but in order for the feud to reach its full potential, Styles must at some point take the title from Rhodes.

Interrupting The American Nightmare’s reign before he can face off with The Rock might seem like a strange call, but that’s what would make the moment all the more shocking. Rhodes would lose nothing from being back in chase mode for a brief bit while Styles gets his long overdue last world title reign.

Having them trade the title in a series of matches would also allow the storyline to be stretched out until SummerSlam and not be blown off early with Rhodes beating him for a second straight time at either Clash at the Castle or at Money in the Bank.

Adam Copeland’s high-risk dive off the top of the cage at Double or Nothing 2024 wasn’t without its consequences. Not only has he been sidelined indefinitely with a fractured tibia, he has also been forced to relinquish the AEW TNT Championship.

It’s already been announced that a new champ will be crowned by way of a Ladder match at Forbidden Door on June 30. Even with only one competitor confirmed so far, it’s virtually set in stone that Jack Perry will be winning the vacant title.

Every other member of The Elite currently holds gold, and Perry pinning Bryan Danielson in the Anarchy in the Arena main event at Double or Nothing indicated he is in line for a significant singles push.

As such, he was likely always the person planned to dethrone Copeland as champ, so Copeland’s injury will merely expedite the inevitable. Copeland will have a ready-made rival when he returns, and Perry will finally be able to call himself a singles champion for the first time in his career.

Although Konosuke Takeshia would be a better fit for the spot, the company has shown zero signs of utilizing him as anything other than a stepping stone for the time being.

Some NXT call-ups need time to find their footing on WWE’s main roster, but Bron Breakker has quickly established himself as an absolute force to be reckoned with on Raw.

Excluding him from the King of the Ring tournament made little sense from a storyline standpoint, but WWE managed to turn a negative into a positive by having that be what set him off into a rage of destruction.

So far, he’s attempted to make a name for himself at the expense of Ilja Dragunov and Ricochet, two men he should soon battle in a Triple Threat match and emerge victorious.

WWE’s simple and straightforward approach to booking Breakker so far will be what gets him over as a main event player in the long run. It was what worked for Brock Lesnar early on in his career and Breakker can benefit from following a similar blueprint.

With the roster depth Raw currently boasts, there’s no reason to rush Breakker up the card, but a slow-and-steady ascent involving total domination will be his ultimate key to success.

WWE bust the “forbidden door” wide open with the arrival of TNA Knockouts World champion Jordynne Grace—who previously appeared in the 2022 women’s Royal Rumble match—on the May 28 edition of NXT.

The Juggernaut will challenge Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at Battleground on June 9, and per PWInsider, more crossovers between the two companies are expected in the weeks and months to come.

NXT lost a lot of its higher-profile talent to Raw and SmackDown in the recent roster shakeup, while TNA has always struggled to maintain buzz of any kind. A talent exchange of some sort with NXT and TNA stars appearing in the other’s promotion would make both products much more must-see.

It’s excellent exposure for TNA and NXT can get something out of it as well. WWE has very rarely played well with other promotions in the past, but simply the sight of TNA talent popping up in NXT is enough to generate interest in the brand and for their upcoming shows.

NXT needs seasoned veterans for the newer faces to work with and TNA’s incredible roster has that in spades. The possibilities are endless for what the working relationship can turn into and the many matches it can produce on both sides.

Will Ospreay has been main event material from the moment he walked in the door at AEW. He could have easily been slotted in the AEW World Championship picture from the get-go, but it was wise to hold off on that while he entered chase mode and worked his way to the top of the card.

Days removed from clinching the AEW International Championship at Double or Nothing, Ospreay won a Casino Gauntlet match to punch his ticket to Forbidden Door where he’ll face Swerve Strickland for the AEW World title.

Ospreay walking away with the title is a strong possibility yet unnecessary at this stage. He already holds gold that he should be putting his full focus into making more important, not to mention that it would instantly overshadow Swerve Strickland as champ.

Giving Strickland a win over Ospreay first will only make the moment of Ospreay beating him for the belt—ideally at All In—that much more meaningful. Ospreay can be world champ before the year is through, but the title change should be saved for a little later on down the line so Strickland can have the run he deserves.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.