A.J. Styles on Playing Nature Boy Role: "Didn't Fit My Personality At All,"

[It's Damn Real!]

In an interview with Alex Marvez of ScrippNews.com, A.J. spoke about a number of things, including his brief stint being mentored/managed by Ric Flair when he began wearing the robe and playing the "Nature Boy" role, as well as the idea of Fortune with Immortal.

On the Nature Boy Role: "It didn't fit my personality at all," Styles said. "Ric casts a big shadow. I think I've learned more about how to get out of that shadow when I was up against him rather than with him. When you're with Ric, he's going to get your attention."

On Fortune/Immortal: "I knew we eventually would have to go there anyway," Styles said. "Fans wanted to see Fortune turn on Immortal. They never wanted to see Fortune be a part of Immortal in the first place. When we teased going against them, it created a big rumble."

Thoughts?

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

I totally agree with AJ, the Nature Boy gimmick wasn't a good fit for him most TNA fans know that AJ is a Family man and Not a Playboy type like Ric Flair is but to me it still was a smart move pairing him with Flair, being aligned with Flair allowed AJ to learn from One of the Best on how to cut a Promo which was always one of AJ's weakest points, but after the Fortune turn on Immortal AJ cut what I think to be the Best Promo of his entire career and AJ later in this interview goes on to say that what he learned from Ric Flair is how to cut a promo. AJ has improved his biggest weakness cutting promos and because of that I consider the AJ/Flair relationship to be a sucess.

 

[a0161613]

It was a minor success. I mean, Flair has been awful in TNA - a disgrace and an embarrassment and pairing Flair with AJ hurt Styles a little once the novelty wore off and going against EV2 didnt help.

Certainly the partnership started interestingly enough. The summer was pretty horrible - no lack of coincidence that AJ was forced out of the main event picture at this time but it certainly seems like AJ alongside Fortune seems to be on the rise thanks to being against Flair.

Hopefully the rub they will get will help everyone it should do in TNA and the whole company benefits from it.

 

[UnBEARaBULLfan]

It may not have worked on screen/tv, but you can tell AJ has grown because of it.

 

[yankees-flair]

I don't think Flair has been an embarassment to TNA at all !!
I think he has played an excellent heel role and the split was handled well.
I'm just happy to have an alternate to the stale boring crap the WWE puts out !!

 

[Rasha]

I totally agree with AJ, the Nature Boy gimmick wasn't a good fit for him most TNA fans know that AJ is a Family man and Not a Playboy type like Ric Flair is...

Okay, what? Do fans really think that the Pope was stealing money or that Eric Young has gone insane? Do they believe that Bubba Ray actually hates Devon and wanted to hurt his kids? You know better than that, man. AJ playing "Nature Boy 2.0" is no different than that big guy who pretends to derive power from an urn and control lightning.

 

[MachoMadness1988]

It may not have worked on screen/tv, but you can tell AJ has grown because of it.

I agree. AJ's time with Ric absolutely made him a better performer. His promos are 10x better in my opinion. I can tell a big diffrence from the AJ before Ric and the AJ after Ric. He really did benefit from it.

 

[joesgoingtoeatu]

I don't think Flair has been an embarassment to TNA at all !!
I think he has played an excellent heel role and the split was handled well.
I'm just happy to have an alternate to the stale boring crap the WWE puts out !!

Really ? Maybe Flair hasnt been an embrassment but the way he has been booked has been. Are you getting sick of a 60 year old's clothes being ripped off everytime he gets in an altercation, the man was a legend for chirst sakes, embrassing.

But back on topic, The problem with A.J is that nothing seems to fit his personality. He's shown some promise when fortune first split from immortal on the mike but it seems like hes back in waste away feuds with Matt Hardy all of a sudden, because they gave Sting the belt. A.J should be the main face feuding with Jeff for the belt and the leader to take down Immortal, but i sadly think that Hogan and Bischoff dont seem him as a lead guy. Maybe his personality just isnt meant to be ?

 

[Dzone]

Although the gimmick may not be something he relates to he did play it well and promos are considerably better as a result.

Just a small after thought but did anyone else find Aj's "you know i can fly" cool... lol i love that catchphrase and I don't know why

 

[midgensa]

It was pretty obvious from the beginning that the "styling and profilin" did not fit AJ. He is a solid heel because of solid mic work and being able to wrestle a heel style.

Making him the Ric Flair type seemed over the top, especially for any smart that knows anything about his personal life.

I thought he did it fairly well for a while, but it wore thin much faster for him than it would for some other guys.

 

[wwenba]

Really ? Maybe Flair hasnt been an embrassment but the way he has been booked has been. Are you getting sick of a 60 year old's clothes being ripped off everytime he gets in an altercation, the man was a legend for chirst sakes, embrassing.

But back on topic, The problem with A.J is that nothing seems to fit his personality. He's shown some promise when fortune first split from immortal on the mike but it seems like hes back in waste away feuds with Matt Hardy all of a sudden, because they gave Sting the belt. A.J should be the main face feuding with Jeff for the belt and the leader to take down Immortal, but i sadly think that Hogan and Bischoff dont seem him as a lead guy. Maybe his personality just isnt meant to be ?

Really? Flair has been great in TNA. It's Flair in his truest form and he's more like himself. I dont see how the beatdowns are any worse than being beat with a shoe, dragged around to look like a bloody corpse, or making a known egomaniac turn into a glorified sidekick with HHH.

We are seeing Flair's personality the way it was in his prime but obviously a pairing with AJ is awkward. In the end, Styles did benefit. Not storyline wise but most agree he is much more comfortable on the mic then in the pre-flair pairing.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I have to agree with AJ Styles. Putting him with The Nature Boy did cast a large shadow. AJ really never got over as a Nature Boy reincarnation. I thought the idea was great to put one of the best wrestler's in the world from yesterday with one of the best of today though. I just don't think AJ Styles clicked as a heel. There was no reason to put Fortune with Immortal to begin with.

I'm glad AJ can stand out as his own man now and become the face of TNA, instead of a Nature Boy ripoff.

 

[deforty]

I thought AJ totally looked out of place as Flair Jr, but he definitely has grown up on the mic since being with him. Looks more comfortable and sounds much better. Now he just needs to be in the WHC scene again and take over.

I just think its just a matter of time when he will be noticed by the E and they will try to take him away.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Styles as a Ric Flair clone simply did not work and it was obvious from the first promo that Styles cut. An arrogant and flambouyant heel like Ric Flair does not fit AJ Styles and you could tell that it just didn't feel the least bit natural. Styles simply doesn't have it in him to pull off that sort of character effectively. It's not a slam against the guy, it's just a fact of life along the same lines as some heels not being able to play effective face characters at all.