Mike Chioda Recounts The Story Of How AJ Styles Found His Way To WWE In 2016

After weeks of rumors, former TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles finally made his WWE debut upon entering the 2016 Royal Rumble. Styles emerged from the #3 spot and lasted nearly 30 minutes before being eliminated. Styles went on to claim his first WWE Championship later that same year, but as it turns out, his height initially cast doubt on some backstage officials.

During a recent episode of "Monday Mailbag with Mike Chioda," former WWE referee Mike Chioda recalled sharing his impression of Styles with WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson. Though he couldn't remember which title Styles was vying for at the time, Chioda remembers being blown away by a performance Styles put on in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Shortly after, Chioda mentioned Styles' name in a discussion with Patterson.

Patterson regarded Styles as a great in-ring performer but followed up by stating his expressed concerns about Styles' height, which is billed at 5-foot-11-inches. "I said, 'What a f***ing worker he is, man. He had a hell of a match in Japan. He's amazing,'" Chioda told Patterson. "I thought he was one hell of a talent, and Pat Patterson goes, 'Oh, yeah, good worker, but they say he's too short.' I'm like, 'What? Too short?' I'm thinking, 'Come on now. If you're almost 6-foot or 5'11, you still look pretty damn big on TV.'"

About six months after Chioda's conversation with Patterson, Styles officially signed a contract with WWE. Though some WWE officials appeared hesitant to hire Styles at first, former producer Arn Anderson believes Styles could've, and perhaps, should've, won the WWE Championship on the same night as his debut.