How Will AJ Styles Return?

[rokuma]

I could see AJ being the "Sting" to A&8's "NWO" and being a free-agent that shows up unexpectedly and you can't tell "which side he's on." Might not be a bad gig for him either. Sting was red hot between 96-98 and he never said a word. Mic skills have never been AJ's high point. Maybe it propels him higher and makes him more popular? An emo AJ Styles might not be a bad thing...

[BaconBits]

The likeliest scenario is that AJ returns via the stage and much fanfare. Maybe a new entrance theme even.

Hopefully the blues on his ring gear actually match upon his return.

[HBK-RVDFan92]

I read a lot of good ideas, some I had thought of and a few made me think up others. When AJ left TNA following the "No Title Match For a Year" stip and the last CLEAN lost to Daniels, my original thought was how easy would it be to revitalize the X Division a little bit (no offense to RVD but its not his fault, he can only go up against the same opponents for so long where the matches AREN'T predictable) by pushing Styles as a top contender for the X Division title? Killing two birds with one stone: You have an X-Division mainstay to help up the ante competition wise, in which he would eventually capture the X-Division title from RVD with a lot of great matches between himself and the likes of a Kenny King or Zema Ion along the way (of course boosting their credibility in the ring even more), have him hold the title up until Destination X and then of course have him trade in his title for a TNA Title shot, thus having him win it FINALLY. But of course with TNA's recent decision to only keep 4 PPVs NOT including Destination X, I had to put my thinking cap on.

I WOULD REALLY HATE to see him as part of the Aces & Eights angle. Too many people have already said it: there's nothing about him that screams biker gang. Though on paper it makes sense since he was pissed off and tired of being TNAs janitor, that he would join A&8s but doesn't mean it's believable. I mean given his tenure at TNA and how his heel runs have turned out I don't think its a very good idea. Example: when he was involved as part of Team Angle with Tomko it eventually pretty much lead to him turning face while at the same time not being taken to seriously as heel. Immortal? Sure they had him and the rest of Fourtune but they treated him like he was a cronie or someone to handle their dirty work and otherwise not featured as prominently alongside his TNA alumni. Another idea was for him to be like Sting to the nWo back in WCW where no one could really tell who's side he was on. Creative but redundant, I mean its bad enough when A&8s came out last week at the top of the show and dropped a third rate version of an nWo promo. I see what they're trying to do with the direction of A&8s but even the WCW fans of that era don't even wanna see that angle again. Ken is good where he is, though Brisco and Garrett bring down the actual 'tough image' or A&8s SIGNIFICANTLY, they dont need to drag AJ into that mess. He's already been through one tragedy of a angle last year.

I WOULD REALLY HATE to see him come back as a face to start up ANOTHER angle with Daniels or Kazarian as we have seen WAY more matches between them in just this last year than in the entire start up years of TNA (ok exaggerating a bit but you get the point, we as fans don't enjoy blatant lazy booking being shoved in our faces). Instead, and although I am more of a fan for Styles being face, what if he did return to help Daniels win the title from Hardy? In a sense Hogan has been tired of Bad Influence since the start of the whole Clare Lynch fiasco, whenever they are on screen together whether Hogan/Daniels or Hogan/Kaz he always makes it known that he is not fond of them at all. So with a returning AJ Styles no longer wanting to be a janitor for TNA why not stick it straight to Hogan's face by not only helping the guy that's been on his bad side but also costing the guy that Hogan and TNA management are ALWAYS getting behind (Hardy) the TNA title? If it indeed does happen that way, would it be that far off to see a trio faction consisting of AJ, Kaz and Daniels in maybe a new version of Triple X? 3 former X Division champs, 3 TNA mainstays, 2 of which have always called bias on the TNA management side and 1 who has recently left due to his grievances with TNA management. The whole year Kaz and Daniels have been feuding with AJ over his 'special" treatment in TNA could have finally paid off into AJ realizing that he was done wrong by TNA management too.

Though it's kind of hard to forgive and forget someone who was basically trying to sabotage and frame you for a horribly executed angle of infidelity, this COULD be a great way to bring him back and creative to have something for him.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE if he did come back as a face if he and Storm did start a program as a tag team together to take on Roode and Aries in their attempt to take all of the TNA titles. Those four names just screams star power potential. All 4 men in their own rights have accomplished a lot in TNA, all of whom are ex TNA Heavyweight champs. The chemistry that those four could build embroiled in a tag team feud would be ridiculous. Hell even have Storm/AJ try to go after all the titles as well! Either way this idea was posted earlier and I very much liked it and am NOT taking credit. Either two of these ideas I think would be the best way of bringing him back in with something credible.

[Lowdown]

Originally Posted by rokuma

I could see AJ being the "Sting" to A&8's "NWO" and being a free-agent that shows up unexpectedly and you can't tell "which side he's on." Might not be a bad gig for him either. Sting was red hot between 96-98 and he never said a word. Mic skills have never been AJ's high point. Maybe it propels him higher and makes him more popular? An emo AJ Styles might not be a bad thing...

This was something I brought up a while back. To me this seems like the best idea for AJ, but it also depends on who the true head of A&8's is. Technically AJ to TNA is what Sting was to WCW, so for him to pull an act like this off, he'd probably have to develop a tweener persona. But I wouldn't recommend dragging out him getting in the ring like WCW did with Sting.

[rokuma]

Originally Posted by Lowdown

This was something I brought up a while back. To me this seems like the best idea for AJ, but it also depends on who the true head of A&8's is. Technically AJ to TNA is what Sting was to WCW, so for him to pull an act like this off, he'd probably have to develop a tweener persona. But I wouldn't recommend dragging out him getting in the ring like WCW did with Sting.

I disagree. WCW waiting and waiting and waiting to have Sting wrestle Hogan was tremendous. The build was incredible. The only stupid thing they did was the finish at Starrcade...other than it was perfect.

I think the same could be true for AJ. With only 4 PPVs and if AJ were to "catch lightning in a bottle," then his re-debut match would be a must-see event - a huge bonus for TNA. Sometimes you have to let the gimmick and the storyline run it's course and not do too many twists and turns.

[Shadows Over Hell]

I think he will return as the sole fighter against Aces & 8s. TNA is not going to stop this angle, and I think AJ who is so-called Face of TNA; will stand against the 8s. He will portray similar character like Sting during nWo days.

[FitFinlay4Life]

I would be inclined to believe the whole Aces & Eights idea but for two major factors: the first being the really obvious one - AJ has had very little interaction with the group so there really is no logical reason for him to take them on; the second is slightly less obvious, while there seemed to be a storyline building between James Storm and the Aces & Eights at one stage, this appears to have been discarded and the Cowboy is in limbo at the moment.

This leads me to believe one of two things are in the future of the Phenomenal One (or possibly both).
1: AJ will return to feud with the Cowboy for the defeat suffered at his hands that means he is out of the World Title picture until after BFG.
2: The two hottest tag teams in TNA are Aries & Roode and Bad Influence, both AJ and James has history with both. Either AJ coming out to stop a beatdown by A&R on Storm or Storm coming out to stop a beatdown by Bad Influence on AJ could set up a decent run for the tag division (especially if you figure in Guerrero & Hernandez, a possible A&8 combo and, given their shared dispute with A&8s and previous combo history, a returning Joe/ Magnus team).
Personally, I'd like to see a combination of both with AJ returning to feud with Storm but with neither turning heel and the two eventually siding together against their aforementioned former Fourtune teammates' combos.

[New Hot Fed]

I could see him return as a Aces and 8s member, like at Lockdown he appears as a member alongside Jeff Jarrett and Erik Bischoff. After the event JJ and Eric say that they convinced AJ to join them as he was not respected by TNA. You could have AJ making a speach on Impact for whatever. Then at a special moment he turns on them and he did all this to beat them from the inside.

[MrAnderson123]

In theory, he'll be brought back into the Aces and Eights storyline at Lockdown. Which is a seriously bad move for TNA. He doesn't have the look and personality to return with A&E.

But in my head, fantasy booking wise...
I'd like to see hime return to the X division to make some sense of it all. RVD is getting lame now as champ, and when AJ returns, I'd like to see him demolish it all like in the old days. I know he's getting on now, but he can still put on a decent match.