AJ Styles Vs. Drew Gulak IC Title Match Set For Next Week's WWE SmackDown

After being crowned the new Intercontinental champion by way of a tournament victory one week ago on WWE SmackDown, AJ Styles is set to make his first defense of the belt on next week's broadcast.

Styles will defend his newly-won championship on next Friday's SmackDown, taking on Drew Gulak.

At the start of Friday night's broadcast, Styles was presented the championship in a ceremony, while various wrestlers surrounded the ring. He taunted Daniel Bryan, the man he defeated in the tournament final on last week's show, and told him he's at the back of the line when it comes to potential challengers.

In response, Bryan tried goading Styles into defending the IC title against some of those around ringside, first advocating for Chad Gable, Gran Metalik, and Big E, before pushing hard for Gulak.

Styles went on to wrestle new call-up Matt Riddle in a non-title match on Friday's broadcast, losing to the newcomer.

Also scheduled for next week's card is a segment in which Sheamus will "toast" Jeff Hardy, whom he defeated at Backlash this past Sunday.