AJ Styles Match Announced For The First SmackDown Live Of 2018

A week after he faced Kevin Owens, AJ Styles will take on Sami Zayn on the first SmackDown LIVE of 2018.

WWE announced Saturday that Styles and Zayn will square off in a non-title match on SmackDown LIVE this Tuesday night. The match marks the first time they will face each other one-on-one on SmackDown LIVE, though these two have been no strangers to one another in recent weeks.

Styles lost to Owens in a non-title bout on this week’s show, which came after Shane McMahon caused confusion by trying to get the referee to eject Zayn from ringside. Styles had Owens pinned, but the referee was too distracted to count it. After Styles turned his focus to the ref, Owens rolled him up for the pin.

With Styles facing Zayn on Tuesday, the direction for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble should come into focus. It appeared that Styles vs. Owens was being set up for the pay-per-view this week.

The Usos defending the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin will take place on Tuesday’s SmackDown as well, along with Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers.