Check out an excellent interview with AJ Styles in The Daily Star (first published in Fridays newspaper). In the chat with Patrick Lennon, AJ discusses touring the UK, Destination X and dealing with criticism.
AJ STYLES says he wants to tour Britain twice a year, because once is simply not enough. In an exclusive interview, the Phenomenal Georgia-born wrestling ace, whose name is synonymous with the very highest quality matches, tells FT that he thinks his company should hop the pond more often.
He says: I want to do it twice a year. The British fans arent going to be bored by seeing us twice.
WWE go there twice a year so theres no reason we cant do the same.
We are cleared to take Impact! on the road for the first time, starting in August.
If were not in Orlando every time theyll miss us. It needed to happen and I know its a good thing to do.
FT isnt going to deny that Blighty boasts the best wrestling fans on earth, and the fact isnt lost on TNA, who know that the UK market is vital to their continued success.
Buoyant ratings are matching RAW week in week out, so the opportunity is rife to pluck new fans from the roots of the strong British wrestling base.
Styless main event this week with old running mate Christopher Daniels was a welcome return to high quality main event wrestling, which TNA/ Impact Wrestling execs are keen to stress is the new direction for the company.
Its like getting in there with your shadow, he says. It went really well, other than at one point he got knocked silly. He was out, so it was weird for a minute, but we got on with it.
We prove that wrestling matters by doing PPVs like Destination X, letting guys get in there and do their thing.
Certain indy alumni got a shot at a job during the PPV. Notable successes were Jack Evans, whom AJ describes as like a pea in a pod with our own PAC, and Austin Aries, whose initial TNA run ended badly in 2007.
Styles agrees Aries has got over himself a little, and is ready to succeed in TNA.
He says: Austin Aries is a guy who knows a lot and brings a lot of experience.
Hes not a young guy. He knows exactly what to do.
Experience is the key. It doesnt matter how good an athlete you are if you dont know what youre doing.
Styles also hits out at the constant criticism levelled at his company, particularly online,
Sure it pisses me off, he says. Unless you work here you dont know.
Lots of people sit on their butt watching it on TV and write about it because they cant be involved. Theyre full of it because they cant do what we do.
What have they done in wrestling? They write negative stuff because they WISH they were involved.
Not all wrestlers can make such an assertion with complete assurance. In fairness to AJ Styles, hes pretty much untouchable. Onwards and upwards, fella.
IMPACT Wresting is every Tuesday night at 10pm on Challenge TV, the home of TNA in the UK and Ireland.
Great interview.
What do you think AJ meant by the negative comments people say about impact?
Is he talking about the dirt sheets?
Do you agree with what he says?
AJ STYLES says he wants to tour Britain twice a year, because once is simply not enough. In an exclusive interview, the Phenomenal Georgia-born wrestling ace, whose name is synonymous with the very highest quality matches, tells FT that he thinks his company should hop the pond more often.
He says: I want to do it twice a year. The British fans arent going to be bored by seeing us twice.
WWE go there twice a year so theres no reason we cant do the same.
We are cleared to take Impact! on the road for the first time, starting in August.
If were not in Orlando every time theyll miss us. It needed to happen and I know its a good thing to do.
FT isnt going to deny that Blighty boasts the best wrestling fans on earth, and the fact isnt lost on TNA, who know that the UK market is vital to their continued success.
Buoyant ratings are matching RAW week in week out, so the opportunity is rife to pluck new fans from the roots of the strong British wrestling base.
Styless main event this week with old running mate Christopher Daniels was a welcome return to high quality main event wrestling, which TNA/ Impact Wrestling execs are keen to stress is the new direction for the company.
Its like getting in there with your shadow, he says. It went really well, other than at one point he got knocked silly. He was out, so it was weird for a minute, but we got on with it.
We prove that wrestling matters by doing PPVs like Destination X, letting guys get in there and do their thing.
Certain indy alumni got a shot at a job during the PPV. Notable successes were Jack Evans, whom AJ describes as like a pea in a pod with our own PAC, and Austin Aries, whose initial TNA run ended badly in 2007.
Styles agrees Aries has got over himself a little, and is ready to succeed in TNA.
He says: Austin Aries is a guy who knows a lot and brings a lot of experience.
Hes not a young guy. He knows exactly what to do.
Experience is the key. It doesnt matter how good an athlete you are if you dont know what youre doing.
Styles also hits out at the constant criticism levelled at his company, particularly online,
Sure it pisses me off, he says. Unless you work here you dont know.
Lots of people sit on their butt watching it on TV and write about it because they cant be involved. Theyre full of it because they cant do what we do.
What have they done in wrestling? They write negative stuff because they WISH they were involved.
Not all wrestlers can make such an assertion with complete assurance. In fairness to AJ Styles, hes pretty much untouchable. Onwards and upwards, fella.
IMPACT Wresting is every Tuesday night at 10pm on Challenge TV, the home of TNA in the UK and Ireland.
Great interview.
What do you think AJ meant by the negative comments people say about impact?
Is he talking about the dirt sheets?
Do you agree with what he says?