AJ Styles Recalls Learning About His WWE Royal Rumble Debut

The 2016 Royal Rumble became the first appearance on TNA legend AJ Styles, kicking off a ten-year run that would end up with the multi-time world champion being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. At the time, fans were shocked to see him make the jump after years in TNA, but according to Styles, the moment wasn't something he had weeks to prepare for. 

"I want to say it was like a week before the Rumble that I found out. I think... It might have been days, I don't know," he recalled during an episode of his "The A.J Styles Show" podcast. He then explained that he had just competed at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom and the following event at Korakuen Hall, before going home in Atlanta, had dinner the same night before flying up to Pittsburg to get himself checked out medically before joining with WWE. "There is no NXT, there's nothing unless I get medical done." Styles expressed that his neck was in a terrible space and he thought he was going to fail the medical test, while explaining that it was a requirement whether or not he'd end up first starting in "NXT." 

Before being flown to Orlando, Styles met Samoa Joe and got his gear, realizing that his debut was a big secret. He then explained that he had to hide, and in Orlando he was kept aside where he had to sign paperwork and go over the night, revealing his debut to some of the locker room. 

"I saw people that I knew and thank God," he recalled. "And that's kind of how it all got started... I mean, one thing I remember the most, like I as I watch [my debut] back, I wish that I would've smiled or liked being pumped, but I just walked up there stone-faced like I'm about to cry."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The A.J Styles Show," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.