Should A.J. Styles Just Swallow His Pride and Sign With the WWE?

[CM Steel]

"The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles has been with TNA/Impact Wrestling since the days when they were NWA-TNA wrestling. Ten years strong as the backbone of TNA wrestling. But should A.J. Styles test the waters in the WWE? A.J. is more than ready. But should or would he sign? A.J. has teased it a bit in interviews. But as soon as Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair became apart of TNA. People started to get in A.J.'s ear about the WWE in a negetive way (Smh).

A.J. Styles believe's that TNA wrestling is a second family to him. But in life family members have to go on their direction. Many wrestling fans see A.J. Styles as a big fish in a small pond. A guy who has done everything in TNA that there is to do.

So should A.J. Styles just shallow his pride and sign with the WWE?

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

Firstly , its AJ Styles not AJ Style's.

And no AJ Styles won't fit in WWE. WWE won't use him properly just like they did to all other WCW and TNA guys.

 

[Tree Of Woe]

Firstly , its AJ Styles not AJ Style's.

And no AJ Styles won't fit in WWE. WWE won't use him properly just like they did to all other WCW and TNA guys.

What can be said that already hasn't been? AJ would be wasted there for sure.

 

[GameOver]

who said WWE wants him anyway? talking like he has been offered.
He did tryouts years ago and they didn't want him.

AJ as others said would be a small fish in a big pond in WWE and wouldn't getting any further then midcard status

 

[LeviCook]

I honestly think he should. I know almost everyone believes WWE would use him wrong but what about that small chance that they didn't? He could always just go back to TNA who would welcome him with open arms. But let's say he went to WWE and everything worked out. We could get to see a lot of great matches and see AJ at the level he deserves. I'm not saying he will be a main eventer and have a guaranteed success but he will defnitely have the fans support which can be hard to ignore. Especially in a time where WWE is low on talent (Not referring to the suspensions, in general).

 

[GameOver]

Firstly , its AJ Styles not AJ Style's.

And no AJ Styles won't fit in WWE. WWE won't use him properly just like they did to all other WCW and TNA guys.

what other TNA guys? do you mean the ex WWE takent that went back there after TNA didn't use them at all? and by WCW guys u mean people that were just there to get a paycheck and those that weren't and were already over got to the main event in WWE too.? and the rest were never relevant anyway

or do you mean the likes of Ric Flair, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit/Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Booker T, Kevin Nash, Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Big Show to name a few that WWE made household names and all held the world titles under the WWE banner. but yeah they misused all the worthy talent.

 

[mrfantastic111]

who said WWE wants him anyway? talking like he has been offered.
He did tryouts years ago and they didn't want him.

AJ as others said would be a small fish in a big pond in WWE and wouldn't getting any further then midcard status

AJ was offered a developmental deal. He wasn't rejected - he declined. Something to do with his wife having a well-paying job and not wanting to relocate. He was offered again a few years ago but he rejected it straight up.

WWE tends to treat wrestlers if they've been at the top at their previous companies, ie Punk, Bryan. I know that WWE is pretty bad when it comes to dropping main eventers suddenly down to the mid/low-card, but I doubt that they'd get someone like AJ Styles and let him plummet to a Miz or Swagger level.

 

[mdj2010]

Firstly , its AJ Styles not AJ Style's.

And no AJ Styles won't fit in WWE. WWE won't use him properly just like they did to all other WCW and TNA guys.

Thanks for the platitude, but this statement about WWE is nothing more than internet bullshit. It is a view that has been stated over and over and holds very little merit.

Heyman put it simply in his recent blog post: If you want to get noticed in the WWE, you have to step up. Bryan did it, Punk did it and it took them a lot of hard work to get noticed and get themselves into spots they deserved (regardless of what companies they have worked for in the past.)

AJ Styles may be someone to the internet wrestling community, but he is a nobody to a large part of that audience. The younger kids wouldn't have a clue who he was and they wouldn;t care either, because he doesn;t have the look, regardless of the fact that he is one of the best in the business today.

If Styles cam,e he would have to earn his spot in the WWE and work hard to deserve anything from creative. Id imagine, considering he didn;t want their deals in the pasrt, that he is happier being a medium sized fish in a small pond.

Simply put, I'm not sure Styles has the same desire to reach the top as thelikes of Punk and Bryan. if he did, he would already be there.

 

[thebarber]

AJ was offered a deal worth $500 a week. Disgraceful and showed AJ exactly how lowly WWE thought of him. AJ shouldnt go for the same reasons Sting never did. They would not use him properly, and would make him look inferior and tell him that he does not know how to work.

 

[RawIsJericho]

They'd probably just stick him in Evan Bourne's gear and tell him to go out and be Bourne's replacement and then once Bourne got over his injury they'd feud over who the real Evan Bourne was.

 

[chrisddusombre]

Firstly , its AJ Styles not AJ Style's.

And no AJ Styles won't fit in WWE. WWE won't use him properly just like they did to all other WCW and TNA guys.

your right like booker t he never became world champ. Don't forget to mention Eddie, Benoit, JERICHO, rey mysterio, wcw guys were never used properly. as for former TNA guys Punk never became wwe champ or anything. oh wait..........

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

You mean swallow, not shallow his pride right? No I don't think he should, he has built his legacy in TNA and he's what in his mid 30's now? And yeah I wouldn't want WWE to take him, give him some lame name (so they can trademark it) and pretend none of his previous accolades happened (or mattered).

However if WWE brought AJ Styles in as AJ Styles and had him at main event level, (like say with Goldberg when he debuted in the WWE) I would love that, who wouldn't!? But I can't see WWE doing that for obvious reasons.

As far as I know AJ is happy in TNA isn't he? Ultimately it's up to him, who are we to tell him what he can and can't do...

 

[Defekt]

AJ was offered a deal worth $500 a week. Disgraceful and showed AJ exactly how lowly WWE thought of him. AJ shouldnt go for the same reasons Sting never did. They would not use him properly, and would make him look inferior and tell him that he does not know how to work.

That was a developmental deal 10 years ago. He would have been given a proper deal if he was moved up to the main roster.

 

[Spookusjoe]

I'd love to see him in WWE, for me he's bigger than TNA, along with Hardy and Anderson/Kennedy. (I like both companies BTW)

For me AJ Styles and Hardy are Main Event status even in WWE, and Anderson/Kennedy is upper mid-card.

I'd also like to see MCMG's join WWE and help bring tag team wrestling back in the WWE.

Sadly I see none of these happening any time soon.

Would AJ fit? Hell Yes, talent is talent despite what people believe! Punk and Bryan are proof! Work hard, pay your dues, and get noticed/over!

 

[A-KO]

Originally Posted by thebarber
AJ was offered a deal worth $500 a week. Disgraceful and showed AJ exactly how lowly WWE thought of him. AJ shouldnt go for the same reasons Sting never did. They would not use him properly, and would make him look inferior and tell him that he does not know how to work.

I have watched the TNA DVD - Phenomenal: The Best of A.J. Styles Volume 2. As a bonus feature it has a part where AJ talks about how he got into wrestling, his time in WCW, his WWE developmental offer and getting into TNA.
He turned down the developmental deal as it would mean re-locating to Ohio and it would interfere with his wife going to college. Plus He felt it wasn't a good deal and so turned it down.

AJ Styles - if he was allowed to be 'The Phenomenal' AJ Styles in WWE would be a superb addition to the roster. If he went the route that Daniel Bryan/ Bryan Danielson did and went to FCW to gather an understanding of how to work the WWE style for 6 months then called up to the full roster to debut, it would be a superb move by Both Styles and the WWE.

 

[jerry20xx]

"AJ was offered a deal worth $500 a week."

I bet that is what he makes now in TNA lol.

He was offered 500 a week because back then, he still sucked ass. AJ has actually been to WWE a number of times before joining TNA.

With Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin going, and WWE wants to sign cruiserweights, I'm sure eventually AJ may be offered another deal one day.

 

[Rayne]

AJ Styles is under contract until 2014.

$500/week is the standard WWE developmental deal. At the time of the offer, AJ Styles was definitely a developmental performer. What an offer from that long ago has to do with what kind of offer he'd get on the open market today completely mystifies me, but people say some stupid shit on the internet.

So let's just all stop with the veiled dick-waving about what our favorite promotions all are, k? There's really no need for the monthly "should AJ Styles be in WWE" thread.

 

[CDoherty]

AJ at one time was the most talked about and wanted pro wrestler for a couple of years. It's not that way anymore.

He's a lot like RVD a guy no fan could get enough of, then he goes to the WWE and you see the guy twice a week and after awhile he gets stale. I think the same thing is with AJ.

AJ to the WWE, I think neither really care to go there. AJ has a way easier time in TNA than WWE in almost everyway and especially travel wise. From the WWE's point, AJ is 35, he isn't know to most WWE fans, so he would probaly go to FCW, get a new name, it's just not worth it.

I have always been a huge AJ fan, but frankly the guy was awesome way to early and I don't think he's upped his game much in the past years.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

...and the mass exodus threads begin.

I had a feeling this would happen when Shelley left, and knew it would the moment the rumors that Sabin would go too followed suit, so I guess next in line is Samoa Joe, followed by James Storm, Bobby Roode and Kurt Angle, right? Then we can all start with the additional threads about how long it'll take for TNA to sink, how long it'll take before Vince offers them $3.12 for their video collection, how long it'll take for the "Invasion" threads to start and so on and so forth.

Except there's a problem here — this is all coming out of one big superiority complex, and not at all based on the objective nature of discussing whether a performer is better suited for promotion A or B or C. Anytime you see these stupid threads, it's from a user who's veiling a shot at TNA by essentially starting a trolling thread designed to incite parity, which makes these threads miserable to partake in.

Unless you have some kind of plan/report in place that's both viable, and at least likely true about his even wanting to leave, and/or an interest from WWE that would make him want to, these threads will continue to be—as my buddy Rayne so eloquently put it—veiled dick-waving about what our favorite promotions all are.

 

[mlp420]

AJ Styles is under contract until 2014.

$500/week is the standard WWE developmental deal. At the time of the offer, AJ Styles was definitely a developmental performer. What an offer from that long ago has to do with what kind of offer he'd get on the open market today completely mystifies me, but people say some stupid shit on the internet.

So let's just all stop with the veiled dick-waving about what our favorite promotions all are, k? There's really no need for the monthly "should AJ Styles be in WWE" thread.

Yeah. And the "Sting should be in WWE" or the "Samoa Joe should be in WWE" or any of the other "I'm a fan boy and can't really be bothered to follow a wrestler unless he's in WWE" threads.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

...and the mass exodus threads begin.

I had a feeling this would happen when Shelley left, and knew it would the moment the rumors that Sabin would go too followed suit, so I guess next in line is Samoa Joe, followed by James Storm, Bobby Roode and Kurt Angle, right? Then we can all start with the additional threads about how long it'll take for TNA to sink, how long it'll take before Vince offers them $3.12 for their video collection, how long it'll take for the "Invasion" threads to start and so on and so forth.

Except there's a problem here — this is all coming out of one big superiority complex, and not at all based on the objective nature of discussing whether a performer is better suited for promotion A or B or C. Anytime you see these stupid threads, it's from a user who's veiling a shot at TNA by essentially starting a trolling thread designed to incite parity, which makes these threads miserable to partake in.

Unless you have some kind of plan/report in place that's both viable, and at least likely true about his even wanting to leave, and/or an interest from WWE that would make him want to, these threads will continue to be—as my buddy Rayne so eloquently put it—veiled dick-waving about what our favorite promotions all are.

Absolute and utter truth. I dread even sharing my view on the matter in virtual sess pools such as threads like these because I know for a fact that, despite any common logic or proof I may provide to oppose or support the idea, it is bound to be quoted by some half-witted prepubescent jewel of the IWC sarcastially mocking TNA or its wrestlers.

No, AJ shouldn't swallow his pride and "just go to the WWE". It's not about pride. It's not about money. It's about loyalty, love for the company and passion about what they do. Something that a lot of WWE wrestlers have no clue about.

 

[JaylisJayP]

Why would AJ be "swallowing his pride?" Wouldn't you do that if you were with the big company and were forced to go to the smaller company to keep your job? I don't see how that applies at all in this situation.

That said, a lot of people on here have rightfully said he wouldn't fit with WWE, but if WWE were interested in him, it'd be a calculated gamble for him. Bottom line is, even if he's used on Smackdown and house shows or superstars, he'll still be much more well known than main eventing (no idea if he still is) TNA. He also would have to consider whether TNA is even going to be around in a couple years and/or how much longer he wants his career to be.

I think if you ask anybody outside of IWC circles who AJ Styles is, maybe 1 out of 5 wrestling fans can tell you. If he goes to WWE, that number goes up, maybe he helps sell some more t-shirts and positions himself for a career involved in wrestling after he's done with wrestling.

I could think of worse things for Styles to do than jump to WWE.

 

[Lowdown]

What's all this "swallowing his pride" nonsense? Like previously stated AJ is still under contract for two more years. Not to mention for the time being is the face of TNA. We all know that wrestling is all about making money, as it is with all businesses. AJ as far as I know is loyal to TNA, but he's also human. He might want to give WWE a try again once his contract is up, but I doubt it. Another thing to consider is that in two years AJ will be 37, and while that's technically still young it seems the wrong age to start back at the bottom of the barrel in WWE. AJ is right where he needs to be. He has a devoted fan following and is continually near the top of the main event roster. Him, Joe, Sting, Roode, Storm and others are not going to WWE based on IWC buzz.

 

[fenfool]

There is no room for AJ in WWE...Evan Bourne and Sin Cara pretty much have the athletic small guy thing covered, I don't see WWE showing much interest. Maybe if this cruiserweight program comes to bear they would give him a look...but he main evented Impact last week, he wouldn't make the second hour of either Raw or Smackdown. TNA guys haven't exactly had a great history of going to WWE and having success...see Monty Brown, Kazarian, Chris Harris...so I doubt WWE would even show much interest, much less give him a decent contract or a real chance. Honestly, he seems very happy to be the one most associated with TNA's history, and I have no problem with that either. He's consistently entertaining, and the best thing on the show.

 

[TheWrestlo]

who said WWE wants him anyway? talking like he has been offered.
He did tryouts years ago and they didn't want him.

You obviously dont know the whole story you idoit.
He got signed but he would have had to go to deep south wrestling and move near the area , but his wife wouldn't have been able to go to collage, so he said no and left
get your facts straight you tool

as for the topic. No AJ shouldn't go to WWE because he will not be treated right, AJ is just fine where he is right now, however i do see him going in a year or 2, he won't be like a sting and never go there at all, they will find a way to sign him, but they won't use him correctly.