AJ Styles is one of the best of his generation. He made a name for himself all around the world, but during the 2000’s, he was one of the top stars in Impact Wrestling (then Total Nonstop Action Wrestling). He would accomplish everything possible there, being a former world champion, tag team champion, and X-Division champion. He would leave Impact in 2014 after getting offered a pityful contract. He would had to New Japan Pro Wrestling, which is the run that would make WWE interested in him.
While it took until 2016 for WWE to want to have AJ Styles on their roster, anyone who worked with him during his time in Impact knows he was just as good then as he is now.
“He Was Every Bit As Good 10 Years Ago”
Kurt Angle spoke on this topic during an interview with Sportskeeda. Angle worked with Styles many times in TNA, and knows the level of skill he provided.
“Oh, I think WWE should have brought him in ten years ago. Unfortunately they didn’t but they got him. AJ’s still going strong. I’d say he’s every bit as good as he was ten years ago so I just hope his career continues on and he can give us a few more years.”
It is interesting to think what it would have looked like with AJ Styles coming into WWE around 2010. This was around the time when people like Daniel Bryan & CM Punk were starting to get their names into the main event scene, meaning AJ Styles would have fit in nicely and gave us some excellent matches with his old ROH rivals. AJ has had a fantastic run in WWE, being a two time WWE champion and a top star since early in his time with the company.
AJ Styles Had A Chance At WWE
AJ Styles was signed to WCW in the dying days of the company, and while he had a tryout match with WWE in 2001 after they bought WCW, he wasn’t offered a deal. He would try out again in 2002, and he would be offered a developmental deal. This came with a move to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) developmental territory was located. He declined the deal, as it would have messed with his wife’s plans with college. He would soon after get deals with Ring Of Honor and TNA, and the rest is history.
Do you wish WWE signed AJ Styles earlier in his career? Did his time outside of WWE make him into a bigger star? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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