AJ Styles' Contract Expires, Releases Statement; Is it a Big Work?

[The Dragon Saga]

Via his official Facebook page, AJ Styles posted the following statement:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/AJStylesOrg/110336188978264

Today for the first time in 11 years, AJ Styles awakes to find himself without a professional wrestling contract. I can't help but think how did I get here, what must I have done wrong, did I not deliver in the ring, etc. All of those are pertinent questions that any man or woman who finds himself or herself unemployed would ask. I have always prided myself in being the wrestler that stays away from the things in this business that could easily destroy myself, my family, my marriage, and even my career. A wrestler who goes above and beyond to give the fans what they paid to see. I move forward not bitter, but better for the blessings and memories that I have been a part of since TNA's inception.

When this contract renegotiation journey started several months ago, my wife and I began praying for God to close doors that needed to be closed and to open the doors that He wanted us to walk through. We asked him to prepare us for this journey and to help us to have the faith to be obedient to what He would have us to do. I am assured by the name Immanuel in Matthews 1:23 that I will never be alone. Hebrews 13.5, says He will never leave us or forsake us. There is a lot in this world that I am unsure of, especially in this moment, but there is one thing that I am certain. Contracts may expire, but the promise of Immanuel will never expire.

As my family and I move forward with my wrestling career, we will turn to Jabez's prayer found in 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil.

My family and I are both grateful for the platform that TNA has allowed me to experience. TNA has been a blessing to our family for many years. We have made many friendships and many more memories. While you may not be seeing AJ Styles in TNA, you can be sure that he will be traveling the world and delivering many more Phenomenal matches. Visit AJStyles.org for a complete list of bookings.

Sincerely,
AJ Styles P1

Meanwhile, Dave Meltzer who originally broke the news months ago about AJ's original contract coming to a close, reported the following over the weekend in his newsletter:

A lot of fans were assuming AJ Styles would feature at Final Battle, which was never the case. Styles is interested in returning to ROH and the company plans to involve him in 2014.

As someone who post-BFG Impact stopped watching TNA after nine years as a weekly viewer (I stuck through 2010, patience has gone) and as a huge ROH fan all of this is great news for me, as AJ is one of the reasons I enjoyed TNA near the end of my viewership.

AJ is already booked to wrestle former WWE developmental and once again ROH's Chris Hero for Canadian promotion Smash Wrestling in January.

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- IDR

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

I like AJ but if he goes back to ROH, that would be back to square one. And I don't mean that as a compliment. He should try to send feelers out to the WWE. If they are not interested, go back to TNA and take less money and work out a deal where they would allow him to work outside shows to make more money.

 

[Alex]

This is interesting to say the least.

I had assumed that TNA and Styles were being really good at working the IWC and that he'd be back in TNA again.

Seeing as that doesn't seem to be the case this is very interesting. People have been talking about TNA's financial problems for a while now and this certainly lends itself to that. Arguably the face of TNA is leaving the company. It seems Styles can make more money working the indies and ROH than just being in TNA.

Obviously AJ is looking out for himself and his family. Fair play to him but it's still disappointing that he'll no longer be in TNA.

 

[Remix]

So wait, just to make sure I understand this correctly. TNA booked a guy to win their top title when his contract was about to expire, without getting an extension or agreement to drop the title at a later date and let him leave the company with the title?

Nope, doesn't make any more sense on the screen than it did in my head.

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

So wait, just to make sure I understand this correctly. TNA booked a guy to win their top title when his contract was about to expire, without getting an extension or agreement to drop the title at a later date and let him leave the company with the title?

Nope, doesn't make any more sense on the screen than it did in my head.

No. Not exactly. I have to carefully word this without getting in trouble but you should tune in to future episodes of Impact to see how it plays out.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

So wait, just to make sure I understand this correctly. TNA booked a guy to win their top title when his contract was about to expire, without getting an extension or agreement to drop the title at a later date and let him leave the company with the title?

Nope, doesn't make any more sense on the screen than it did in my head.

No, but this is bordering dangerously on spoilers, so I'd suggest you read them so we're not delving into that type of murky water in this thread.

As to Styles, this news hurts, but it doesn't hurt as much in reality as it does in the hearts of fans who just don't want to see him go. Styles is much like that hard-working player for your team who spends the majority of his career there, who at the end, you can very likely move on without, but who fans refuse to let go of. Styles has been largely irrelevant to the title scene in TNA for how many years now, prior to winning it this year? He's been off screen for weeks now, and TNA have shown increases in ratings. Yes, technically he's still part of the story, but ultimately is the 2013/14 AJ Styles as integral to the TNA product as the 2008/09 Styles was? I'd argue emphatically not. And that's coming from a huge fan of his.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I like AJ but if he goes back to ROH, that would be back to square one. And I don't mean that as a compliment. He should try to send feelers out to the WWE. If they are not interested, go back to TNA and take less money and work out a deal where they would allow him to work outside shows to make more money.

I watched Chris Hero's shoot with RF Video two weeks ago, when Rob asked him about how much hes getting paid working the indies again then when he was in WWE, Hero laughed and said, "I've made more money in the last two weeks than I did in the last year."

Hero is wrestling all over the place and probably for a sizable fee. If his fee is good AJ's will be better. I have a feeling AJ was smart enough to save money, take into consideration that Matt Hardy works for ROH and - I kind of hate saying this - is a bigger name than AJ's, and that right there is the reality of the situation.

AJ could easily support himself working the indies. And who knows, Sinclair Broadcasting's COO has said on multiple occasions when they need to spend cash they will, if ever they needed to spend cash AJ Styles signature on a contract that would allow him to wrestle on the indies could very well happen.

 

[hatehabsforever]

See, I continue to be very suspicious of the whole AJ Styles leaving TNA schtick. Just because he is posting updates on Facebook or twitter or whatever, or just because dirt sheets are reporting things about his contractual status, doesn't mean they are true. Personally, I continue to believe that he isn't going anywhere.

In reality, perhaps his contract is running out or actually has run out. There may be some factual basis to all of this, as with CM Punk a couple of years ago. But I find it impossible to believe that TNA, despite their history of incompetence, would put their main title on the guy at their biggest PPV of the year without some form of agreement in place. Even they couldn't have built up the Bound For Glory series to end up with him winning, and successfully capturing the belt at BFG, just to have him leave the company just a few months later.

Perhaps he has tested the waters in WWE and found them frigid. I cannot imagine he wants to step backwards to ROH, or Mexico, of Japan, or the indies in general. I can't tell you how often I have read on here about how much he loves TNA because of the reduced travel, the proximity to his family, etc., Now all of a sudden he's OK with going to Mexico or Japan or bingo halls all over the place? Doesn't seem plausible to me.

I fully expect to see AJ Styles remain with TNA. I'm not sure when he will be back, how much money he will sign for or how it compares to his other contracts, or in what context he will be used. But I will be shocked if he truly leaves the company and stays away.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Perhaps he has tested the waters in WWE and found them frigid. I cannot imagine he wants to step backwards to ROH, or Mexico, of Japan, or the indies in general. I can't tell you how often I have read on here about how much he loves TNA because of the reduced travel, the proximity to his family, etc., Now all of a sudden he's OK with going to Mexico or Japan or bingo halls all over the place? Doesn't seem plausible to me.

As of my writing AJ Styles has been announced for the following in the last three hours:

Dreamwave Wrestling
Anarchy Wrestling
Total Xperience Wrestling
Squared Circle Wrestling vs. Eddie Edwards, plus as a guest instructor for the school the following day.
Smash Wrestling vs. Chris Hero
Deep Southern Championship Wrestling

Sometimes what you may think is not real, but as I posted above about what Hero said, if you're the right type of person the indies aren't that hard to work your way around, and while I think he will return to TNA eventually unless something solid pops up for him I do believe he's right now a free agent, everything thus far has added up from when his contract expired in August to when Meltzer and Mike Johnson said it would expire then until today.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Something tells me this is all a setup. I'm sure AJ is without contract but I highly doubt TNA would book Styles to win the title at BFG if they didn't already have it set in stone he would be coming back. Chances are they are doing the Punk storyline from 2011 except they are actually going all the way with it. It's possible AJ has already signed a contract with TNA but it doesn't start until July or something so in the meantime he's doing indies to really hit home the storyline and create the illusion Styles is actually gone for good, or maybe he signed the contract, it kicked in but he has a clause that allows him to work indies until July or something, there's numerous ways TNA could pull this off.

TNA gets a lot of criticism for some of their dumb moves in the past but there's no way they were dumb enough to put the title on Styles if they couldn't guarantee he would be back.

 

[LSN80]

He's been off screen for weeks now, and TNA have shown increases in ratings.

Much like CM Punk leaving WWE in 2011 for two weeks and the ratings spike that came with it, I think it's the same with AJ Styles. People are tuning in, I believe, to see what Styles is going to do next. This storyline has been much better booked then the Punk one, as Punk came back over only two weeks. You can hear it in the crowd, as every week, the chants for AJ grow louder and louder with anticipation. I imagine for viewers who haven't read the spoilers up until last week's show, they've been tuning in just the same, to see Styles return. It's been a well-executed storyline.

Yes, technically he's still part of the story, but ultimately is the 2013/14 AJ Styles as integral to the TNA product as the 2008/09 Styles was? I'd argue emphatically not. And that's coming from a huge fan of his.

He's not, but it's because he's been booked poorly, not because of his value to the company. The Claire Lynch and Dixie Carter angles hurt him mightily, as did the 'I'm taking my ball and going home' storyline from earlier this year. Just 3 years ago, Styles was #1 on PWI's top 500 wrestler's, and he hasn't changed much since then. His in-ring work is just as good as it's ever been, and his promo work is passable. I don't see the change, to be honest, and I believe that a long run from Styles on the top as champion would show how integral he is. TNA has really dropped the ball, I feel, on not making him the top babyface in the company.

At least, not until he was ready to walk out the door.

As for Meltzer, it's hard to trust much of what he says. He's the most reknowned name outside of maybe Wade Keller in terms of respected wrestling journalists, but he also reports a lot of things as fact that are just speculation. Until Styles shows up in ROH as a weekly fixture on their TV programs and begins working PPV's, I'm skeptical of this.

 

[Schuyler]

If this is real and TNA can't pay AJ the money he's worth, then I have no more faith left in TNA. AJ is asking what close to 5gs pre show, thats a lot of money, and if he thinks he can more on the indes, then TNA was paying him less then 500k a year?

 

[Kamala316]

I'm not a huge AJ Styles fan, but I don't question his abilities in the ring, he can go when he brings it. To me, it seemed like TNA always "buddied" him up with every single "big name superstar" that walked in the door (i.e. - Jeff Hardy, Sting, Flair, Angle, etc.), and made him look like he was their "project". It's kinda ironic that now, after he is off tv but still the champ, ratings are up. I hope he stays away from WWE because they'll probably change his name to Mike Rotchisburnen or Ivana Mathdebate. I hope he finds some new feuds on the indy circuit, or kicks ass in ROH.

 

[Stormlor]

TNA are a bunch of boneheads at this point. I don't care if this is real or not, letting go AJ is probably the worst thing they can do.

At this point, I would not be surprised to see AJ on WWE TV. He can adapt to that WWE style as he has already shown that from his match at BFG and a few others. If we do see AJ on WWE TV, I think we can now really say that TNA is dead.

Though, TNA might be dead around the States, but not in Europe and maybe putting the title on a European (Not saying it will happen as I don't read the spoilers) might tell TNA that they want to make a mark more in Europe and the rest of the world than in the US. AJ being from the US, while would be good, but to bring in extra market putting a title on a European might do more. Even with the upcoming Europe tour coming up, Hardy can't travel over there because of his court issues. While AJ might be gone, it makes sense for TNA.

As for AJ, I hope someone grabs him quick, he's probably the biggest free agent right now. Triple H do your job and sign this guy quick.

 

[Lowdown]

If AJ isn't coming back, it would suck being an overall TNA fan. While its true this could be a work, it wouldn't be surprising if it is legit. Looking at some of the abrupt exits like Hogan and Mickie James, perhaps the money train is dwindling to the point where they want AJ to take a massive cut. Yes I'm speculating, no question. But at the same time I wonder if this isn't where it would end as far as talent walking out. I like his work for as long as I've watched TNA. But I also feel there could be a chance he could come back.

 

[ECPirate37]

I haven't read the spoilers, so I don't know what his title situation is, but part of me REALLY thinks this is going to be THE FIRST TIME TNA does a storyline PERFECTLY in a while.

TNA seems to do an invasion storyline every year, or every other year now. When Matt Morgan left, I thought it was a work. He asked for his release and got it. He hasn't shown up in WWE though, and I feel of all TNA talent, him and Samoa Joe are probably the two the WWE would be most interested in (if even to job out to others).

I REALLY believe this is all a work, and sometime in 2014 there will be yet another invasion angle, but this time it will be AJ, Matt Morgan, Crimson, and others that have been let go that the fans love. (Petey Williams comes to mind) And this time when they come, they WILL take over. AJ said Dixie was going to pay, but he hasn't done anything to make her pay. Coming back in 2014, with a group of TNA outcast and taking over, and taking all of the titles will REALLY make her pay. And I could even seeing it being a set up to bringing back JJ on the show. Aj comes back with his group, and challenges Dixie for control of the company.

I could be WAY off, but this has been my gut feeling for a while. And I would expect a couple of other big name TNA stars to be "let go" or not have contracts renewed in the coming months, to further this angle.

 

[A11oftheLights]

I'd love to see Styles appear on SD! the night after one episode of impact and just shoot on TNA especially if he still had another appearance on an episode of Impact

 

[Harthan]

I have often remarked that AJ Styles is an amazing wrestler who was born to do little else but wrestle. TNA has often had a problem with letting him do this thing in the capacity he was meant to do. Styles really needs no character other than clean cut babyface - I'll admit, he played the "Lone Wolf" thing pretty well, but quite frankly, all he's ever needed to be was plain old AJ Styles. AJ Styles vs. anyone could be a main event match on any episode of Impact, and AJ Styles vs anyone with some talent and at a decent spot at the card could main event any big show they wanted to. This is the most extraordinary fact that TNA seemed to ignore all too often. Not putting Styles at the top of the card against the best of the best, putting him in absurd angles like the Claire Lynch story, turning him heel when nobody actually wanted to see heel AJ - they fucked up time and time again to use the wrestler who is mind numbingly easy to use.

You want a story? Here's your story - AJ Styles wrestles somebody because wrestling. ***** 10/10 MOTY every time because AJ is that damn good.

I'm glad he's leaving TNA because they just kept getting in the way of an amazing wrestler doing what he does best. AJ is going to face some truly fantastic talent on the indies and just regularly churn out great matches. I'm looking forward to it.

Just about everyone in TNA should be fired for ever allowing AJ Styles to walk away from their company. This is the kind of guy you pay more than anyone else and that you put the title on for half of the year. This was their John Cena and they're going to let him walk into the indies and (probably) ROH and potentially catapult them into the next stratosphere of wrestling. TNA is hardly untouchable as the #2, and with a talent like AJ Styles more than probably working for ROH in 2014...well, watch out. The landscape of wrestling might be about to change.

 

[New Hot Fed]

I have often remarked that AJ Styles is an amazing wrestler who was born to do little else but wrestle. TNA has often had a problem with letting him do this thing in the capacity he was meant to do. Styles really needs no character other than clean cut babyface - I'll admit, he played the "Lone Wolf" thing pretty well, but quite frankly, all he's ever needed to be was plain old AJ Styles. AJ Styles vs. anyone could be a main event match on any episode of Impact, and AJ Styles vs anyone with some talent and at a decent spot at the card could main event any big show they wanted to. This is the most extraordinary fact that TNA seemed to ignore all too often. Not putting Styles at the top of the card against the best of the best, putting him in absurd angles like the Claire Lynch story, turning him heel when nobody actually wanted to see heel AJ - they fucked up time and time again to use the wrestler who is mind numbingly easy to use.

You want a story? Here's your story - AJ Styles wrestles somebody because wrestling. ***** 10/10 MOTY every time because AJ is that damn good.

I'm glad he's leaving TNA because they just kept getting in the way of an amazing wrestler doing what he does best. AJ is going to face some truly fantastic talent on the indies and just regularly churn out great matches. I'm looking forward to it.

Just about everyone in TNA should be fired for ever allowing AJ Styles to walk away from their company. This is the kind of guy you pay more than anyone else and that you put the title on for half of the year. This was their John Cena and they're going to let him walk into the indies and (probably) ROH and potentially catapult them into the next stratosphere of wrestling. TNA is hardly untouchable as the #2, and with a talent like AJ Styles more than probably working for ROH in 2014...well, watch out. The landscape of wrestling might be about to change.

I agree completly. With a talent like AJ Styles, you let him do his thing and get out of the fucking way. Jarrett always had this ******ed mindset booking of things like it's either a weak attitude-era WWF takeoff or whatever hick wrestling they were doing in Nashville. They kept telling AJ "you need a character!" and they kept preventing him to be "the" guy. Then Hogan and Bitch came in and wanted to turn TNA into the Hogan train and felt every homegrown TNA talent was wrong and had to change them and how Hardy and RVD were God.

WWE pushed a guy in Cena that was completly devoid of talent but pushed him long and hard enough that people started to believe in him. TNA has had someone that was uber talent yet did everything in their power to prevent him to reach the top. I think there's a huge problem there.

 

[Stormlor]

I agree as well. Everything you mentioned about AJ being TNA's John Cena was spot on. Its true because there is not one star in TNA that sells more and does more for the company. When I went to BFG in October, the merchandise stand ran out of AJ Styles T-Shirts in 10 minutes. What does that tell you about the popularity of AJ?

Everybody should be let go who botched this up. Bone head move

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Sad to see AJ go. Granted, I haven't enjoyed anything TNA has done with him in years, but still sad to see so much talent walk out the door. He'll never end up in WWE, and I wouldn't want him to. I'm more bored with the WWE product than I am with the TNA product, and that's really, really saying something.

If AJ Styles does return to Ring of Honor, and in the near future, they would be stupid not to book him against Chris Hero at some point in 2014. Chris Hero made his return at Final Battle, for those who don't know, and he's a hot topic coming from NXT and all around the internet. AJ Styles is a big deal, for obvious reasons. I also wouldn't mind seeing the new DECADE stable (BJ Whitmer, Jimmy Jacobs and Roderick Strong) take on Styles and Hero, since the theme of their group is they've been around forever, and are sick of people using ROH as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Could be a money match at the WrestleMania-weekend show.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

F4WOnline.com is reporting that sources inside TNA have said the statement AJ put out was in-fact part of the storyline and that he has re-signed with the company. Styles is booked to appear at several independent wrestling events throughout the next few months but don't expect him to be appearing on televised products such as WWE or ROH.

And that's the last time I ever get my hopes up. Fuck it I got Chris Hero, happy with that.

 

[ECPirate37]

I haven't read the spoilers, so I don't know what his title situation is, but part of me REALLY thinks this is going to be THE FIRST TIME TNA does a storyline PERFECTLY in a while.

TNA seems to do an invasion storyline every year, or every other year now. When Matt Morgan left, I thought it was a work. He asked for his release and got it. He hasn't shown up in WWE though, and I feel of all TNA talent, him and Samoa Joe are probably the two the WWE would be most interested in (if even to job out to others).

I REALLY believe this is all a work, and sometime in 2014 there will be yet another invasion angle, but this time it will be AJ, Matt Morgan, Crimson, and others that have been let go that the fans love. (Petey Williams comes to mind) And this time when they come, they WILL take over. AJ said Dixie was going to pay, but he hasn't done anything to make her pay. Coming back in 2014, with a group of TNA outcast and taking over, and taking all of the titles will REALLY make her pay. And I could even seeing it being a set up to bringing back JJ on the show. Aj comes back with his group, and challenges Dixie for control of the company.

I could be WAY off, but this has been my gut feeling for a while. And I would expect a couple of other big name TNA stars to be "let go" or not have contracts renewed in the coming months, to further this angle.

I just saw THIS POST: http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/439...-tna-status-has-he-re-signed-with-the-company so it looks like the first step I need in my plan is now set. haha

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

I just saw THIS POST: http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/439...-tna-status-has-he-re-signed-with-the-company so it looks like the first step I need in my plan is now set. haha

Of course it's a work. Anyone who thought he was really gone is a sucker. Me and about a thousand other people have been saying that since he drove away in the Camaro.

If it wasn't all storyline driven, they wouldn't keep updating us on his "activities outside TNA." Plus, as stupid as people think TNA is (and we know that can be stupid sometimes), they wouldn't have hung such a major storyline out there without having at least a strong feeling that an agreement was in place. I would imagine at least a verbal one.

And this storyline has not been done perfectly. Far from it.

A) Dixie Carter.
B) AJ Styles has been gone so long a lot of the casuals will have cooled on him. They've kept doing little vignettes and promos, but it's not as good as being there. I'm not saying he won't get a pop when he returns. I just don't think it'll be as good as people might think. And it's not like he's going to set the world on fire with his promos.

 

[ramblinroy682]

So Magnus is the World Champ now. Didn't Wrestlezone post a while back that Styles signed a contract for the short-term through mid-december? So, I expect will see him one more time before that contract ran out. I believe they taped episodes up through the end of the year. I expect that we'll see a Magnus versus AJ Styles match. The outcome of that match may tell us something about where AJ Styles was or is? If he does show up, challenge Magnus and wins, then he's signed long term. If that happens and he loses, then he either did not have a contract at the taping or still doesn't.

Either way, it's a damn shame that he's not already signed. AJ Styles should have a place in TNA for as long as he wants. I don't know exactly what he gets paid, but he's done everything TNA's asked of him. Some of it good, some of it bad, but he's done it. Do you think he thought he should be Nature Boy 2.0? Probably Not. Do you think AJ wanted to do the Claire Lynch storyline? Definitely Not. Do you think AJ wanted to be TNA's answer to Sting and The NWO for the Aces and Eights? I doubt it. He did it. He made the best of it even when these did not fit his character. They were out of his comfort zone. But, what does it tell you about what TNA thinks of AJ. He is their go to guy when they need a fan favorite to play a role.

I will tell you that every pay per view that I've bought in TNA has had a match where AJ was an integral part of the show. If he wasn't, I didn't buy it. I am an AJ mark. He should be rewarded for that. TNA needs AJ. I don't think AJ necessarily needs TNA. He's never going to be Ric Flair, Steve Austin, Rock, or Hogan. He's not going to be a guy that you know who he is if you aren't a wrestling fan. But, he can be a guy that gets paid well on the indy's. TNA should offer up the money. If not for what AJ Styles brings in terms of ratings, but because of the message it will send to other wrestlers. We take care of our own.