WWE Now Lists AJ Styles As ‘Alumni’ On Website – Could He Be Headed To Raw?

While AJ Styles missed out on a title shot at WrestleMania 33, he seemed headed toward a showdown with SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon – but his path to the biggest pay-per-view of the year took an unexpected twist Tuesday night.

Styles was fired by SmackDown LIVE General Manager Daniel Bryan after he brutally attacked McMahon backstage and smashed his head through a car window.

The #Phenomenal @AJStylesOrg just showed @shanemcmahon how he REALLY feels about not having a match at #WrestleMania 33… #SDLive pic.twitter.com/ldakcA4vB3

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) March 15, 2017

Styles erupted backstage on McMahon last week after losing to Randy Orton – therefore missing out on challenging Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. After opening the show by calling out McMahon, Styles laid in wait in the parking area and launched a surprise attack as soon as McMahon exited his car.

Opportunity just knocked for @AJStylesOrg, much at the expense of #SDLive Commissioner @shanemcmahon… pic.twitter.com/jmKfLVQ5XM

— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2017

Styles was later shown grabbing his things and preparing to leave the arena, but he was stopped by Bryan, who informed Styles that he had been fired. Police then escorted Styles out of the building.

#SDLive GM @WWEDanielBryan will NOT tolerate @AJStylesOrg's actions against @shanemcmahon… and he's officially FIRED The #PhenomenalOne! pic.twitter.com/DqUj5ctBt1

— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2017

Following the attack, a battered McMahon disregarded medical attention and the concern of others to make his way out to the stage to address fans.

He said, “AJ Styles says he doesn’t have an opponent at WrestleMania … he does now.”

McMahon seemed to be suggesting that he wanted a piece of Styles at WrestleMania, but that would obviously contradict Bryan’s firing of Styles earlier in the evening.

Bryan then said on Talking Smack he wasn’t booking Styles vs. McMahon because he couldn’t be sure McMahon was of sound mind when he threw down the challenge. Therefore, “The Phenomenal One” is not considered a WWE employee in the WWE Universe.

A WrestleMania showdown with McMahon is a certainty, but the fact that he’s been fired opens up a few possibilities. Styles’ future on SmackDown could be put on the line in the match (if he beats McMahon, he gets his job back), or WWE could be thinking about taking the opportunity to shift Styles over to Raw.

As we reported earlier, Styles to Raw is a move Vince McMahon wants to make in this year’s WWE Draft. This storyline, however, opens up the possibility of Styles joining the brand a lot sooner.