AJ Styles Interview

[TNABaddboi 0]

Here's an interview with AJ Styles that was posted on PWTorch.com:

 

A.J. Styles was interviewed by WrestleTalkRadio.com and the following is a summary of his comments sent to PWTorch.com by Jason Clevett...

 

A.J. Styles joined Tim Stein, The Gigolo, SLAM!Wrestling's Jason Clevett and Dave Standish on Wrestletalk Radio this past Sunday night. This recap barely scrapes the surface of this entertaining interview!

 

Interview started with Jason listing some of A.J.'s accomplishments and then welcomed him to the show. Jason asked about A.J. facing Low Ki, and A.J. said "Ha ha fooled you, I didn't work him. I was cancelled so I sat at home. As much as I like to work Low Ki there is nothing like sitting at home."

 

 

A.J. Styles (photo by Wade Keller, PWTorch)

Jason asked about the anticipation for the birth of A.J.'s boy. A.J. talked about everything he is doing to try and induce labor so that he can see his son's birth. It was one of the first amusing moments of the interview as A.J. discussed some activities that he and his wife are doing to try and make her give birth.

 

Jason then teased A.J. about an incident that happened at the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show and then A.J. blurted out exactly what happened, catching everyone off guard with his frank discussion about his activities at the event.

 

Going back to fatherhood, Jason asked about balancing being a father with being on the road. A.J. said that with his current schedule he will get to be home four days a week every other week and spend lots of time with his son. That and the fact that his wife is a school teacher means that the kid will have someone home most of the time. He said that it is a job just like any other and while it will suck being away, it's how he will support his family.

 

Jason asked about the possibility of a WWE run. A.J. said that he doesn't want to go there because there are too many people there already and he wants to focus on making TNA better. He said he was shocked by the recent releases and that in ninety days TNA has a chance to do something great. He said that seeing Benoit and Guerrero being the best but not champions is backwards and that letting Matt Hardy go was stupid. He hopes TNA will capitalize and he would like to see Matt and Jeff together because Matt brings out the best in his brother. He also put over Gail Kim and Molly Holly as two girls who can wrestle better then a lot of guys.

 

Discussion turned to A.J. being a genuinely nice guy and how he keeps grounded. A.J. said he is shocked that people like him so much and doesn't understand why but thinks it is because he works hard. Dave then asked about the Ultimate X match against Petey Williams and Chris Sabin. A.J. felt that it was the best Ultimate X match he was in and that they told a great story. A.J. said the dropkick into the "goofy flip" he took was a last minute decision and had he hit the ropes he would have landed on his head. He was worried he wasn't going to make it. He said he was very proud of it.

 

Jason brought up the history between A.J. and Christopher Daniels going back to NWA in Florida and how they feuded all over the world. A.J. considers Daniels the best in the business and doesn't know where he would be without Chris Daniels. He loves working him because it is so entertaining. A fan asked about England's FWA, A.J. compared the fans to ECW fans who make the shows, but the British rings are really tiny.

 

JJ brought up A.J.'s brief run in WCW and how he has eclipsed all expectations. A.J. feels that he wasn't ready and shouldn't have been wrestling. He looks back and feels he had no clue where to put stuff and how psychology worked. He felt that had they not gone under he would have lost his job because of lack of education. He was crushed because he lost his job and he thought his dream, but got to learn from Daniels and Jerry Lynn who took him to another level. Talk turned to Jerry Lynn who A.J. also spoke very highly of. He and Jerry were "married" on the indies and TNA for awhile.

 

Jason brought up returning to Ring of Honor. A.J. loves going there, as it is another place where he got to work talent like Low Ki, American Dragon and Paul London who are unbelievable workers, and they all learned from each other. He feels that they are rocking, but so many guys were putting on unbelievable matches that he can put in a tape and watch it and it was so good. He feels the shows are still great and he can't wait to be back there and his last appearance wrestling Jimmy Rave was awesome.

 

Dave asked about transitioning from the traditional to the six-sided ring. A.J. said he doesn't think about it, it is easy. The first time he was in the 6 sides it messed him up a bit but now he is used to it.

 

Jason played A.J.'s first TNA theme music "Born and Raised" prompting A.J. to say "For Gods sake. I hated that music." He said that he tried to change it that night because he was so embarrassed and then they switched it to Jerry Lynn. He briefly touched on how bad the song "Air Raid" was and being called "Air Styles" made him angry when they changed his name and put him in a fighter pilot suit. "If they wanted a fighter pilot I was gonna be the best fighter pilot I could be." Talk turned to his current theme "I am." Jason asked "what exactly are you and what am I?" A.J. explained that the writer knew he was Christian and that it was influenced by that being "You are who you are and I am who I am."

 

JJ asked about the name A.J. Styles. It comes from his real name Allen Jones and how he was called A.J. all through high school. On an indy show he was teamed with a guy with the last name of Styles. He thought it was goofy but it grew on him. He also hated the name "Styles Clash" for his finisher. Talk turned to the creation of the Styles Clash. A.J. was proud of the move because he invented it. He told a story about his brother-in-law and his friends playing on a trampoline and it popped into his head so he walked over and did the Styles Clash to his brother-in-law. "I am glad I didn't kill him because my wife would have been mad. At least he didn't pull a Frankie Kazarian." A.J. talked about that moment when Frankie freaked out and took the move badly by ducking his chin. From then on A.J. made sure people knew how to take it, and people still tuck their heads on occasion. He has no sympathy for people now because it is an easy move to take and people try and break their neck with it. He compared it to the Canadian Destroyer and how he would be afraid to take the move from anyone but Petey, and if you aren't good at making a move safe then there is no point. He would never take Jerrell Clark's 630 but he would Jack Evans.

 

Jason asked about Jack Evans and A.J. seeing him for the first time at Stu Hart's birthday tribute and his progression. A.J. at first thought Jack was a dumb kid but has turned into someone he enjoys talking too. He feels that ROH has helped him progress and being around guys who can show him that he doesn't need to take a flip on every bump, and how to make his crazy flips make sense. He thought Jack was a "dumbo" the first match he saw him in.

 

A.J. talked about how much he enjoys chain wrestling, and the James Gibson vs. American Dragon match at PWG was very entertaining. Talk turned to PWG and his matches with Samoa Joe and Super Dragon at All Star Weekend. A.J. had a great time and the match with Joe was unbelievable and only the second time they have gone one-on-one. A.J. said Joe shouldn't be able to do what he does because of his size. He said a lot of people think Joe is super stiff, but he is a professional who can make things look worse then they are. He spoke of his respect for Joe and hopes he is in TNA. He said that the match with Dragon was their first singles match. A.J. said he was hot in the match and can't imagine how hot Dragon was in his bodysuit and mask. He thought it was a great match and he had a great time in LA and can't wait to go back and face Chris Daniels at the May show.

 

Jason asked about American Dragon's new look. A.J. said that if Dragon thinks something is cool no one can tell him differently. Dragon wears a cloak and bushy beard and no one thinks it is cool except Dragon, and everyone makes fun of him but there is nothing they can do about it.

 

A.J. commented honestly on an all-cage pay per view at Lockdown, saying the idea was stupid but he was confident he and Abyss would have a great match. He thinks if people wanted to see UFC they would have ordered the show. A.J. feels there is a lot of great stuff in the future and wants to get the show over with and have an unforgettable cage match with Abyss. A.J. then turned the tables and asked who won the bout between Couture and Liddell at UFC. Tim broke the news to A.J. who the winner was and A.J.'s reaction was priceless. A.J. said he will have to order the replay.

 

Jason asked about how A.J. and Abyss are going to keep the crowd into the main event after 7 cage matches. A.J. promised a match that had a lot of psychology and will tell a great story, and hopefully they will come up with different things then everyone else.

 

A.J. talked about their previous feud and how many fans may have not seen it. He then mentioned that during their tables match he was deathly afraid of being dropped on his head by Lex Luger.

 

Dave brought up the difference between Nashville and Orlando crowds. A.J. said that they got a worldwide audience from people seeing the various attractions combined with the local fanbase and are fired up. Hopefully they will be fired up for the pay per view.

 

Nashville saw TNA every week.

 

Dave asked about the freedom that TNA talent has to be openly critical as opposed to WWE toeing the company line. A.J. said that he wasn't saying anything he hadn't told TNA themselves. He isn't going behind their back, and he wishes they would fire some of the "buttholes" that personally attack the company, and that you don't bite the hand that feeds you. He feels it is obvious that the all-cage pay per view is a bad idea. He said that the pay per view could surprise people and be incredible.

 

A.J. took people to task who continue to claim TNA is going to fold, saying that they have been closing since we started. TNA is fine and everything they do is for a reason. He said in June TNA will be in business for three years and nobody gave them three weeks, they have accomplished a lot. Don't believe everything you hear, TNA is here to make an Impact, no pun intended, especially if we get better TV.

 

"I have never heard anyone say TNA sucks." Jason said that he has heard that but it is usually people who say "TNA stole A.J. Styles and Chris Daniels from ROH and I hate them." A.J. went on a roll saying that those people are morons and blamed Rob Feinstein for TNA talent being pulled. He said by the time the two companies completely separated, there were red flags already and A.J. and Daniels had become fully booked elsewhere because wrestling is their job and they needed to earn a living.

 

Jason asked when A.J. Jr. comes to him 18 years from now and says "I want to be a pro wrestler" what will A.J. do? He said that A.J. Jr. will have to go to college first and hopefully will take after his mother as far as brains. A.J. doesn't know what will happen when he can't wrestle anymore. He hopes his son will be smart enough to get an education regardless of what he wants to be. If he wants to be a wrestler that is fine with him, but if he does want to wrestle he will be a cruiserweight because A.J.'s wife is 4'10. A.J. is going to be preemptive and put him in gymnastics. David said not to let his son do the Styles Clash on his stuffed animals because then he would be doing it to his classmates. A.J. is going to send him to the same school his wife teaches at so she can whoop him.

 

A.J. thanked the hosts for having such a good time and put over the show. There was one final call in fan who asked A.J. if he studies old tapes. A.J. said that he enjoys watching a lot of tapes from Japan, there isn't anyone he specifically watches, but mentioned that the Rock N Roll Express vs. The British Bulldogs in Japan was an amazing match. He mentioned that Ricky Morton did the Frankensteiner before Scott Steiner did it. Some chit chat and banter wrapped things up with one of the best interviews in WTR history. This recap barely scratches the surface of this in depth interview with A.J. Styles, which can be listened to at www.wrestletalkradio.com!!!!

[natey2k4 0]

AWESOME.. AWESOME.. interview.

 

I love Styles.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

What a great read that was. Styles comes off as completely professional in every way, even when he shows his dislike for things.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Jason then teased A.J. about an incident that happened at the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show and then A.J. blurted out exactly what happened, catching everyone off guard with his frank discussion about his activities at the event.

 

Ok...what's that mean?

[syxx2001 0]

At least someone is smart and knows the WWE is ass.

[Eclipse 0]

Wow, ummm, and a big FUCK YOU to the male WWE roster. He put Molly and Gail over as WAY BETTER wrestlers than some of the guys there...LOL.

[Guest MikeSC]

Molly Holly is good --- but Gail Kim?

 

Umm, no.

-=Mike

[Carnival 0]

Ya Gail Kim needs carried.

 

Whats with TNA always saying AJ Styles competed in the olympics? I assume they mean he was in the olympic trials or something. Gymnastics i'm guessing.

[Jingus 0]

What was the friggin PWG thing? God I hate it when people tease me like that.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Good interview.

 

Gotta love that attitude about hating the cage idea if you're TNA management. Taking the attitude of getting past it and trying to put on the best he can... That's the way a loyal company guy reacts to bad ideas he's paid to be a part of. No wonder Kash hates this guy.

[Guest MikeSC]

When TNA dies, I do hope the WWE signs AJ. He seems like he could be a perfect foil for Paul London.

-=Mike