AJ Styles Isn’t The Future, He’s Been The Present For Years
When AJ still had the belt and still had some attitude
In the early 2000s a kid in his early twenties burst on to the independent scene with a death defying offense not observed since the inception of WCW’s Cruiserweights, and only rivaled by the WWF’s Hardy Boyz and the likes of RVD. But not even the Hardys could twist and fly with the grace that this rookie could. His name was AJ Styles and he was the future of wrestling. Fast forward a decade and AJ Styles is now in his thirties; he’s a little heavier than he used to be and only pulls out his best moves for the PPVs. The fire is gone.
However instead of comfortably sitting at the top of TNA as a franchise player, Jeff Jarrett and the announce team still call AJ a young kid, and the future of the business. I hate to break it to them, but if they don’t start acknowledging Mr. Style’s accomplishments he’ll never be a main event star. And if Styles doesn’t see the writing on the wall he’s going to miss his chance at really making a name for himself in the WWE. I think it’s already too late; opportunity never lasts with the big dog. All that was good about AJ Styles is in the past, and his future looks grim if they refuse to announce him as a present star. Throwing him a contrived legend’s belt doesn’t count.
After initially creating a buzz for himself in NWA Wildside the young athlete was signed to WCW where he could get mainstream exposure and ride on out with a comfortable career, but the year was 2001 and WCW died only a year later. Remember when Styles wore that g-suit and was part of the tag team Air Raid?… Nope, neither do I. Unfortunately his shot at the big time was over before it had begun. He did not take up WWE’s offer of a developmental deal, and off he went back to the Indys.
There are a lot of high flying “spot monkey’s” on the Indy scene that care more about how many flips they can do than their ring gear and fundamentals, but AJ Styles was a solid worker and a “phenomenal” aerial assassin. After TNA was founded he was one of the first picks for their X-Division, tailor made for his X-Games like energy, and he could also be seen giving 4 star efforts in the main event of ROH.
In TNA he was on their very first show, and a week later Styles defeated Jerry Lynn, Low-Ki and Psicosis in a double elimination match to become the first ever TNA X Division Champion. Hear that? It’s the sound of a rocket, and it was strapped to his back. On his journey through the glass ceiling he captured the Tag Belt with Lynn as collateral.
At the 2002-2003 stage of his career his in-ring work was second to no one, but he lacked character depth. Enter SEX. Vince Russo’s Sports Entertainment Extreme, a group of young stars that weren’t afraid to put their body’s on the line, and gloat about their superior athletics. This is when AJ became the PRESENT not the future.
With a cocky attitude (depending on which side he fell), pretty boy good looks and the skills to back it up, AJ went on to capture the NWA Championship in a match against Jeff Jarrett and Raven, cementing his position as a top level TNA wrestler. He made several defenses and had an on and off feud with Jarrett for a good year or two. Then something happened.
In 2004 TNA got a TV deal on Fox Sports Net, and main event AJ, became X-Division AJ again. Not that there is anything wrong with the X-Division, he had amazing matches with everyone, but as soon as TNA got TV the company slowly stopped getting behind AJ, and instead began bringing in big names from the past. In fact almost all of the originals were put on the backburner. Even the early X-Division and NWA Title DVD releases were put out of print and no longer hyped. Why, was the company ashamed of these early classics? After all it was AJ Styles and the early X-Division stars that got TNA recognition. The only early footage we see now are matches containing former WWE has beens and celebrities, or post 2004 footage.
TNA’s current roster has 14 wrestlers that were big stars during the Attitude Era, 8 of which weren’t with TNA before they got TV. There are only about 7 true originals on the active roster (not counting Amazing Red). They seem to be forgetting their roots
Despite being arguably the most over wrestler at house shows (including TNA’s largest ever gate at Wembley England) somewhere in the past year or two, instead of climbing back up the ladder and hanging with the likes of Sting and the Main Event Mafia, AJ Styles has become some kind of scared dumb redneck goof, with an abusive father, who has to blow smoke up everybody’s ass. Instead of being acknowledged as a top guy he’s been portrayed as young punk that doesn’t give respect to his elder statesmen. No world titles, just strange belts made up by Booker T. When he does get a shot, he’s so docile, there’s no reason to even care.
So the guy that has been with the company since day one and held the World Title 3 times is still just the future of the business?
I feel unfortunately for AJ Styles, WWE has their high flying star, Evan Bourne, and his still in his 20s. In WWE’s eyes he’s the past, in TNA’s eyes he’s the future. When will they let AJ Styles be the NOW?
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good article. well done
Great article, keep it up! What about writing one about Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner?
Just a few points:
1) If AJ stayed at the top for as long as your saying he would get stale, I.E. John Cena. He also needed to be lowered every now and then to save him. AJ is less likely to continue doing high risk moves that could injure him if hes lower on the card. That would save the big moves for when he returns to the top and also allow him to rest up a lil when hes a lil lower on the card.
2) AJ has (albeit REPORTEDLY) been offered WWE contracts a few times. That may to show you a couple of things. He likes his spot in TNA and maybe he doesnt believe WWE is the right place for him.
3) BTW to say their forgetting their roots at the end of the day TNA did wat every up and coming promotion would do. They saw BIG names like Kurt Angle, Booker T, Sting, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, etc. and snatched them up. Can you honestly say you wouldnt have done the same? I mean think of the sponsership opertunities/financial opertunities that may have opened up that werent available to them before? Sometimes you have to put up with shit to get the gold.
At the end of the day i agree TNA could use him better but right now TNA is the biggest place he has made an impact (no pun intended). The growth of the company has gone against him but i have to ask you this:
Where would AJ STYLES be without TNA?
TNA would still be here without him but AJ? my bet is he would never have been near a world title on a near-global stage, let alone a full-global stage. He did nothing in WCW, wouldnt have done anything in WWE because lets face it, it took Rey Mysterio how long to become champion? and thats only because Eddie Died and Chavo couldnt connect with the fans(im sorry i said that but deep down im sure its true…sorry)
AJ owes TNA a lot more than they owe him so he should just be happy he has a job, we should just be happy hes on our TV and everyone should just wait a lil while longer. He will be the champion again its inevitable but right now? TNA are still trying to find their identity and once they do, with that roster, that support form their fans and the support they get from Spike TV…..Watch that space
(O.T. To anyone who reads this, if there are any spelling mistakes im sorry, this was an unplanned reply at a late hour
i do hope you could read it though and i hope i made you think about the topic a lil more)
- Why can’t he stay at the top for a long period? Randy Orton, Batista, Triple H, John Cena etc have been on top for years. Equally, Kurt Angle and Sting have been at the top since their debuts in TNA. When I say on top, I don’t necessarily mean champion, I just mean show him respect and put him over. He is not perceived to be a top guy because he isn’t treated that way on camera. Let him verbally defeat or bitch slap Kurt Angle every now and then. As for doing his moves, I agree with you, but I was just trying to demonstrate that he was young and “red hot”, now he’s fizzled out and has pulled back the reigns.
- As for the WWE thing he was offered a deal after WCW and was given at least one dark match against Hurricane. The point is most young guys would jump if WWE gave them a deal. I feel his ship is sailing and he would no longer be able to get a WWE deal if he wanted to. As I say, the Evan Bournes and Tyson Kidds are taking his spot with the same fire and buzz he once had.
- Of course they are going to sign big names, but they all come in saying “we’ll help the younger guys” and they don’t. They come straight in, get their title run and be done with it. The frontline were neutered the whole time. There are ways to use veterans to put over the young guys. By time they all retire the young guys will be old guys. AJ was the one homegrown talent that had that special buzz and they dropped the ball. Back in 2003 people tuned in just to see AJ, me included. I would argue that TNA wouldn’t be where they are without AJ and the X-Division guys. Back in the beginning that is why people watched the show.
- TNA had an identity, then they got cold feet and went WWE attitude era light. History has shown that you don’t break out without new stars being put in strong positions.
- Personally I’d have AJ get an attitude, a big head like the old Shawn Michaels, have him completely disrespect the older stars, and then back it up with a few clean wins. This is wrestling, the conflict is completely watered down in to complicated storylines when you could get AJ over in 3 weeks.
I think if AJ dosent get a big push like Joe did, he should go for the money (WWE). That is… If he can. He’s like a high end mid card, he still does indie shows for god sakes. As you said, he isn’t getting any younger. It seems like he’s been going at this for a while. I think a good heel turn would do him good. Not the pathetic one he had as Angles lackey. AJ Styles was TNAs first star. If they can’t respect that then why should he show loyalty to them. I love TNA, more then WWE. It’s just, AJ is better then the way he’s used down their.
TNA is not a bad show, they just need to clean house a little. The first one to go should be kevin nash, followed by booker T. nash is a waste of payroll and booker acts like he’s on drugs nowadays. just like wwe they need to rebuild. and A.j.Styles should be in a tie for the top spot in the company with samoa joe.
-TNA only pulls out their best moves for their PPV’s. What’s your point? Someone clearly hasn’t been watching lately.
- AJ is the first legitimate TNA Legends champion and the very first TNA grand slam champion. You want to know why I know this? Because TNA told me so!
-I remember AJ in WCW. I guess the author is trying to infer that if WCW was still alive or staying in WWE developmental working for a flat salary of $500 per week was eventually going to be the GOD-Send for AJ. Someone isn’t taking the whole picture into account here.
- They used AJ to clearly brand or distinguish their unique X style of wrestling. Just like WCW used lucha libre stars to distinguish their cruiserweights. AJ is the best representation of that style. He is Mr. X division. Can you blame them for putting him in the X-division when they wanted to distinguish their brand to a new television demographic? Someone is once again, not thinking this column out.
- Forgetting their Routes? I think you mean their ROOTS. This would be the only part of this column that i agree with. TNA tends to jump back and fourth on their roots, meaning and history.
- Regardless of the criticism of how long he has been around, where he was before TNA and where his current character is now; He is at the top and is going to stay there for the foreseeable FUTURE (get it?).
- The same can’t be said for the immediate person they compare him to, Matt Sydal aka Evan Bourne. Unfortunately for Bourne, he is still in a novelty niche in WWE. By the time he outgrows that spot and is ever even considered for spot even remotely close to what AJ has had in his time in TNA, he would be just as old as AJ.
Not the most thought out column.
Are you people stupid? Aj Styles is on top! You dont have to be world champion to be on top. You guys are talkin like hes not in the main storylines, and hes still in the X division.Hes been in the huge MEM storyline, and before that he was in an awsome feude with Kurt! TNA knows who got them to where they are, and thats AJ STYLES!!! Aj will be world Champ again, it just takes time.
P.S. AJ is in KOTM this Sunday ” HUGE MAIN EVENT “
tna does not know how to appreciate stars
I wouldn’t say TNA is a bad show either. They do need to get rid of Nash and Booker, I agree with you on that. Stiner too. How much of their budget goes to these guys I wonder? The whole Main Event Mafia thing is a bad NWO recycle. They have a lot of good stars however. The beautiful people, (all the knock outs) the X division and the tag team division make a good show overall. If they get rid of the golden oldies they can hire more indie stars like the Necro Butcher. The guy was in a landmark film yet he still wrestles in bars WTF?
Also, TNA isn’t made for 10 year olds. I’m getting so tired of the WWE.
AJ has been offered other WWE contracts. He has turned them down cause he likes his spot in TNA. And the guys you named in WWE, look how quickly WWE fans have turned on them. People want Batista fired, they want Triple H to die, they want John Cena to stop wrestling, and Orton…well, they are turning on him now.
As for Bourne, he is the most OVERRATED wrestler in WWE today. So what, he can do a nice SSP. That’s it. Nothing special in him. I’m glad he’s nothing more than a rag doll for Mark henry now. And Tyson Kidd is probably only there right now because of who he knows.
And as for TNA fans, well, if you keep tabs on their ratings, you would see that the fans turned off seeing a classic match, AJ Styles vs Daniels. Fans didn’t want to see it. Fans instead turn in for the Knockout Division and Scott Steiner. That’s who the fans want to see.
I just think they could get behind him and utilize him much better. He IS NOT treated like a top star at all, they’ve exposed is poor mic skills and totally neutered his character. Just cos they stick him out there talking to the top dogs on the mic every now and then doesn’t make him a top star.
“They used AJ to clearly brand or distinguish their unique X style of wrestling”
No they put him on the undercard so they could fill up the main event with former big names when they hit national TV. They have totally lost they’re unique style.
The legends belt is a joke, brought in to the company by somebody that has completely lost his mind. So AJ is now a legend, but he’s still a young kid, the future of the company? They are just throwing him a bone to keep him quiet.
Lets face it, if Evan Bourne was released today he’d get more Indy bookings than AJ.
I agree that the legends belt is a poor option to name the title but I think barely anyone would book Bourne over AJ.
The promos are in TNA’s eyes at least pureley to put over a match so the fact he is talking to top stars means that he is being put in occasional but not drudging main storylines.
“I just think they could get behind him and utilize him much better. He IS NOT treated like a top star at all, they’ve exposed is poor mic skills and totally neutered his character. Just cos they stick him out there talking to the top dogs on the mic every now and then doesn’t make him a top star.”
I’m not sure if you noticed but AJ was in the main event last night. Do you want him to wear some urban throwback shirt, jean shorts, slanted cap and hold the title forever?
“No they put him on the undercard so they could fill up the main event with former big names when they hit national TV. They have totally lost they’re unique style.”
They didn’t have huge names during the FSN days. The very first X match or any match for that matter on SpikeTV had none other than AJ styles. Not used for brandings sake? Think again.
“The legends belt is a joke, brought in to the company by somebody that has completely lost his mind. So AJ is now a legend, but he’s still a young kid, the future of the company? They are just throwing him a bone to keep him quiet.”
I never liked the circumstance or even the name of the belt. To call Booker T, a legit legend just some guy that “lost his mind” is pretty low. Another, not so well thought out statement there.
“Lets face it, if Evan Bourne was released today he’d get more Indy bookings than AJ.”
Again, another statement not thought out very well. Sydal was in the indies for quite long time before being called up. Coincidentally, so was AJ; Not to mention AJ and Sydal also wrestled against eachother. Aj clearly was the bigger star during that time. Look it up.
“I’m not sure if you noticed but AJ was in the main event last night. Do you want him to wear some urban throwback shirt, jean shorts, slanted cap and hold the title forever?”
Firstly he was just an extra playing second fiddle. The workhorse of the match along with Angle. I have no idea what you mean by the beginning of this statement. Of course I don’t want him to look like a backyarder, that has nothing to do with anything.
“They didn’t have huge names during the FSN days. The very first X match or any match for that matter on SpikeTV had none other than AJ styles. Not used for brandings sake? Think again.”
Things take time and it’s clear to see where their agenda went in the end. They throw AJ out there because he is a solid hand, but if a Scott Steiner debuts, think again. AJ is their backup plan. If you think TNA has the same cutting Edge X-Division branding as they did at the start, you are mistaken. It’s basically WWF/WCW attitude era light, with AJ piping up every so often to show us he’s still surviving in there.
“I never liked the circumstance or even the name of the belt. To call Booker T, a legit legend just some guy that “lost his mind” is pretty low. Another, not so well thought out statement there.”
Have you seen Booker T on TV lately, jibbering along at ten miles an hour, acting like a drugged up teenager, clearly doing what he wants. It’s pathetic.
“Again, another statement not thought out very well. Sydal was in the indies for quite long time before being called up. Coincidentally, so was AJ; Not to mention AJ and Sydal also wrestled against each other. Aj clearly was the bigger star during that time. Look it up.”
Well I’m not talking about that time am I. Of course I’m aware of that. But if both were released now, who is going to get more calls? The guy that has had WWE’s marketing machine behind him, somebody all the kids will recognize in the airport, or AJ? Bourne could wrestle in to his 50s off the back of this little WWE run, AJ would only get recognition by the smarks.
I’m just saying it how I see it.
“Firstly he was just an extra playing second fiddle. The workhorse of the match along with Angle. I have no idea what you mean by the beginning of this statement. Of course I don’t want him to look like a backyarder, that has nothing to do with anything.”
I suppose that’s why he had a decent feud, complete with build and title stakes with Mr. Jibberish, BookerT.
Not to mention that after last night, it’s pretty obvious he is now the main babyface of the company. (Gasp! how can that be!)
“Well I’m not talking about that time am I. Of course I’m aware of that. But if both were released now, who is going to get more calls? The guy that has had WWE’s marketing machine behind him, somebody all the kids will recognize in the airport, or AJ? Bourne could wrestle in to his 50s off the back of this little WWE run, AJ would only get recognition by the smarks.”
Awesome, so you are once again, recognizing WWE’s propaganda machine as the savior of all wrestlers you deem worthy. It’s really no different than your one sided reference to AJ in WWE. Let’s get something perfectly clear hear; Bourne has done NOTHING in WWE. If he was released right now, he surely would get booked for a month or two tops. Once that fad is up, he will be right back at square one.
I’m not here to insult you or ridicule you. On the other hand, this column clearly was not thought out very well. It just seems to me like you simply do not like AJ Styles and are looking for any kind of one sided slapstick commentaries to tag on him. You claim he isn’t the future and that he has been the present for years; Then, you nitpick any little situation where you can squeeze any kind of criticism against him. Sure AJ and TNA are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination; With that being said, AJ IS the man and will continue to be the man whether you like it or not.
Have a nice day
I do not like AJ? The whole column is about pushing AJ lol. There’s no need to take things personal.
“Awesome, so you are once again, recognizing WWE’s propaganda machine as the savior of all wrestlers you deem worthy. It’s really no different than your one sided reference to AJ in WWE. Let’s get something perfectly clear hear; Bourne has done NOTHING in WWE. If he was released right now, he surely would get booked for a month or two tops. Once that fad is up, he will be right back at square one.”
I’m not saying Bourne is better at all, he is not, I’m just pointing out that WWE makes stars, and when they leave they keep that recognition forever. On the average Indy card it will have some ex WWE guy on the poster, even if its Honky Tonk Man. They sell tickets.
In my opinion it was mistake for AJ never to take them up, even for just a piss poor cruiserweight run. Now because WWE has their AJ Styles in a guy like Evan Bourne, he’s stuck in TNA getting semi pushes every few weeks, whilst Borash pansies up to the MEM.
AJ is the man, he should be treated like the man. Borash should come to the lockerroom and have to knock on his personal lockerroom door, only to be told that the man doesn’t want to speak right now. The announcers should constantly put him over as the most talented and athletic guy on the roster, somebody that put TNA on the map.
You get where I’m going? There’s a difference between getting a strange Legend’s belt, and being out in main event matches, and actually being treated like a star on the same level as the ex-WWE guys.
404 just because you say things doesn’t make them true.
Bourne had a prominent role in Ring of Honor and could easily work in Japan on name recognition alone, if he was released right now he would go to one of those two and could stay there for years.
If Bourne was to be released he would be set for a good 10 years with bookings. Look at someone like Al Snow, Val Venis, Viscera or Scotty 2 Hotty, all of whom are getting bookings daily because of what they WERE.
The fact of the matter is that the stars that were then when TNA started people like Samoa Joe, Daniels, AJ and Abyss have had their momentum completely destroyed by the writing teams. TNA’s ratings haven gone up that much since they first started to get TV deals. Mick Foley must get about 20/30 minutes of TV time a week, Jeff Jarrett constantly gets the same. Yet neither get the same reaction as AJ when he comes to the ring and he gets a fraction of TV time.
The author seems to forget, WWE used Styles as a jobber to the Hurricane, it took WCW, ROH and TNA to show what he could really do. No one in the X-Division would ever go to WWE due to them cutting down on high risk moves, which in turn would destroy Styles as a wrestler as that’s what he’t about, high risk moves.
Look at what WWE did with Kurt Angle, he couldn’t do any high risk moves, when he switched over to TNA you can now see him do everything the X-Division can do.
Read the interviews that Nash has given, he constantly praises Styles and other X-Division stars, if Styles left what would he do in WWE? job to HHH or Cena that’s what. Those two are the reason as to why I wont watch WWE anymore, I would rather watch wrestlers who have to work to get what they wanted in the business
By the the author should realize that 31 (not “in his thirties” learn facts they are easy to find google)is pretty young in wrestling when you have been doing it for over a decade, I cannot really say that about any wrestler in WWE who isn’t the son of a famous Hall of Fame wrestler.
Firstly dark matches and tryout matches aren’t going to be for the world title are they? Styles obviously wouldn’t have started at the top in WWE and probably never would be at the top. That’s not always as important as some people might think. Being Funaki still bags you a paycheck better than TNA and makes you more famous than half the TNA roster.
X Division or not, my bet is 90% of the younger guys in TNA dream of being in WWE. Ron Killing even said that they are all just waiting to get to WWE. Don’t be deluded. WWE is the big time and the majority of wrestlers if they had the chance would jump. I mean half the roster talks about WWE on TNA programming. It’s not about high risk moves. Many only do that to get noticed on the Indys. They’d sooner stop them if they had the chance.
The fact that Nash etc praise him is one of my main points. “Ohhh he is the future.” He’d be the present if Nash would retire already.
And 31, I’m pretty sure it’s your thirties lol.