AJ Styles On Why His WWE Debut Took So Long, Says Ricochet And Cedric Alexander Will Get There
AJ Styles' long awaited WWE debut was at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view in 2016. Styles appeared on WWE Backstage this week with Renee Young and Xavier Woods where he discussed his debut with the company.
"I was terrified," Styles said. "We went over the match, and they took me out of the trailer where they were hiding me, and I saw Road Dogg and I didn't want to let him go. I'm in someone else's house. It's their home. I'm a guest. I don't live there yet. I didn't know until literally days before, I didn't know. I don't think many people knew. It was huge for me and intimidating. I'm a 38 year old man coming to the WWE for the first time, it's intimidating."
When asked about why it took this long for Styles to come to WWE, Styles had a simple answer.
"Well, because they offered me the deal," Styles said. "I was ready to come home. It just couldn't of happened any more perfect than the way it did. I had hoped to talk to Triple H, he never called me, took him a while. Finally, Terry Taylor gets in touch with me, finally Triple H calls me, we have a great conversation, first time I talked to him for like 30 minutes and the ball started rolling so quick I couldn't even prepare for it.
"I literally flew home from Japan, but didn't go home, flew to get my medical done. Within two weeks, it was the Royal Rumble, it was quick guys."
Styles talked about being a leader in the locker room. Styles discussed the knowledge that he's passing on to younger talent at this stage in his career.
"I don't think they're green, they've earned their way into the WWE but it is a roller coaster ride," Styles said. "There is going to be ups, there's going to be downs. You have the internet saying this and that and a lot of it is not true. I want to talk to those people, I want to sit down with them and say listen: 'Keep doing what you're doing, keep working, keep learning and you'll get to where you need to be. How's everything at home? Is everything great? Think about that stuff, your bills are being paid, think about the positives in your life, don't think about your job.' As much as we love this business at the end of the day it's still a job."
As far as who Styles views as the next big star in the WWE, he mentioned Shayna Baszler as well as two stars who have been lost in the shuffle lately in Ricochet and Cedric Alexander.
"Ricochet, definitely, this guy is unbelievable, the talent that he has," Styles stated. "Cedric Alexander, another guy, unbelievable. Shayna Baszler. There are opportunities for these athletes, and they will come if they are not already. These guys were high for a moment, I've gotten beat by Cedric, beat by Ricochet, it's okay, we're gonna get there. I see these guys on their way up. Just because you're on the downturn doesn't mean you're not going to come back up. We just got to wait our turn sometimes.
"I've been there, even in the WWE. Okay it's not my turn it's somebody else, I'll just wait and do the best I can with what I've got."
Styles will look to continue his successful run with WWE at WrestleMania 36 where he is scheduled to face The Undertaker.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE ON FOX with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.