A.J. Styles recently spoke with AllWrestling.com about a variety of topics. Check out the highlights below:
On his match with Ken Anderson against Daniels and Kazarian: “I haven’t been this happy about a match in a long time. I think it was outstanding. I think it was one of the better matches of the night. I’m so proud of Ken. We wrestle such a different style than Ken and for Ken to be right there toe to toe with us right along, right on time is super impressive.â€
On the Sting/Roode PPV finish and storylines in wrestling: “You have to admire how it was done. It was pretty unique and I haven’t seen anything like that before. Storylines need to continue you know. Bobby Roode is one of the best champions in a long time. He has it all.â€
On James Storm: “Looks like he is going all the way to the top. I can see he is doing what James Storm does best. Guess we will find out where it all leads.â€
On being held down:“I think if you ever give me the ball, I’ll score. But you have to give it to me. I have to play my part as well, I am a company guy. We all wrestle together, we entertain together and we all make money together.â€
On TNA’s Twitter push: “I like to get on there and associate and connect with my fans. See what they want. If they don’t like the fact that I wore gloves on the PPV then let me know. I’m trying something new. I see nothing wrong with that, I think it’s something new.â€
On The Internet Wrestling Community: “I was one of those guys that used to have the Torch or whatever as an app on my iphone but it’s just so negative and so biased. I just stopped reading it because no matter what we do, it’s never going to be good enough for biased writers. It is what it is man. We aren’t going to have all the money that the other company has but I can tell you, we have better wrestling than they do. I’m done listening to the fact that you think you are a genius because you write about a show at your desk and say you can write a show better than our writers can. Yet, you sit at your desk and write about a show that happened. There are so many critics that say so many things and don’t get me wrong, some things I agree on but a lot of it I can’t. They aren’t there, they have no idea. It’s like someone who writes for US magazine about a celebrity that’s totally not true but they got it from a source who got it from a third hand. It’s just ridiculous.â€
On his time with Ric Flair and his mic skills: “I did learn some tricks of the trade from Flair. The fact that I got a mic in my hand, the more you do something the better you are going to be at it. I think I can do better with the mic, just have to give me the time and the right story to tell. I can make it as entertaining as anyone else but you have to give me a chance. Just like wrestling, you have to give me the ball. Ric is so spontaneous and quick witted when it comes to stuff like that. Everybody loves to hear him. Almost doesn’t get any better than Flair. He is Ric Flair. As long as he can still woo, everyone will want to get with that.â€
On his promo to Jeff Hardy following Jeff’s return from the Victory Road 2011 debacle: “You know I spoke to Jeff about that. To be honest, I was pretty upset over that. I take a lot of pride in this company. I’ve put my body, my life, my livelihood for this company. But that has been totally squashed and he is kicking major butt right now. He is in great shape and he is in mentally great shape.â€
On slowing down with age: “Well, things hurt a little bit longer than they used to. As long as I can get in there and go to work. I know some guys have said that I’ve slowed down since I was in Ring Of Honor or whatever other indy I was in. That’s just working smarter, psychology. It’s about finding the right time to do something and making it special.â€
On seeing more submission wrestling lately: “Ever so slightly there are some guys throwing in some submissions. I threw in a flying armbar ever once in a blue moon. I wish I could do that more but it doesn’t seem to be the case in some of my matches.â€
On the creative changes, who was his favorite and who was his least favorite: “I can tell you it was Dusty Rhodes who put me and Daniels in the first 30 minute Iron Man match in TNA. I think it was Jeff Jarrett that put me, Daniels and Samoa Joe in the main event for the X-Division title. Vince Russo also put us in great storylines, like with Christian, Tomko and the like. I can tell you this. I’ve seen a lot of things like ‘Fire Vince Russo’. Russo didn’t come up with all of these ideas. Sure he came up with a few things that weren’t that good and weren’t pleasing to the ears or to the eyes but no one does. Vince wasn’t all that people thought he was as far as this ‘terrible writer’. Vince was a great friend of mine and I’m going to miss him not being here. But for people to say all these terrible things about him and it’s just not all true. They have no idea, even I have no idea of all the things that went on backstage when they are writing the show. You have to think, I don’t know how many writers the other company has, I’m sure its a butt load of them. We have 2 or 3 writers, that’s it. Even if he did, you have to give him credit for putting in so much. Honestly, I hope Vince is enjoying the time off and not have to focus on wrestling. If I had to go through that much in my time in wrestling, I know I would have gone crazy. I just hope he is enjoying himself and his time in Colorado.â€
On the new creative team of Bruce Prichard, Dave Lagana and Matt Conway: “Well, Matt Conway, I’ve been working with him. Lagana, I’ve actually got to communicate with him a lot and Bruce as well. I think the fact that we have been able to communicate is a plus. The lack of communication is what screws things up. Without that you can’t see their vision for what they want. You end up with two different pictures for the same thing.â€
On Hulk Hogan changing AJ’s preconceived notions of Hulk Hogan prior to him coming in to TNA: “Sure he has. He is another guy who if I needed to talk to, I can.â€
On the removal of the six sided ring:“I liked the six sided ring because it was different. It was who we were. We didn’t look like anyone else. Maybe AAA or whoever was using the six sided ring for a second but we had our own thing and it was different from anyone else. When I took the first bump (in the standard ring) I was relived that my back wasn’t breaking in half because the six sided ring is a lot rougher on your body. The squared ring is a lot safer to bump in and so it changed my mind pretty quickly.â€
On being offered a WWE developmental contract for $500 a week and turning it down:“I could tell you what would have happened. Literally 3 months later, WWE pulled their developmental. I’m sure they would have just dumped my contract.â€
On his Christian beliefs: “I have no problem letting everyone know that I’m a Christian. I believe Jesus died for my sins. I don’t deny that. In fact, I’ll tell everyone that asks. I think that because I put GOD first that I’m blessed because of that.â€
On his match with Ken Anderson against Daniels and Kazarian: “I haven’t been this happy about a match in a long time. I think it was outstanding. I think it was one of the better matches of the night. I’m so proud of Ken. We wrestle such a different style than Ken and for Ken to be right there toe to toe with us right along, right on time is super impressive.â€
On the Sting/Roode PPV finish and storylines in wrestling: “You have to admire how it was done. It was pretty unique and I haven’t seen anything like that before. Storylines need to continue you know. Bobby Roode is one of the best champions in a long time. He has it all.â€
On James Storm: “Looks like he is going all the way to the top. I can see he is doing what James Storm does best. Guess we will find out where it all leads.â€
On being held down:“I think if you ever give me the ball, I’ll score. But you have to give it to me. I have to play my part as well, I am a company guy. We all wrestle together, we entertain together and we all make money together.â€
On TNA’s Twitter push: “I like to get on there and associate and connect with my fans. See what they want. If they don’t like the fact that I wore gloves on the PPV then let me know. I’m trying something new. I see nothing wrong with that, I think it’s something new.â€
On The Internet Wrestling Community: “I was one of those guys that used to have the Torch or whatever as an app on my iphone but it’s just so negative and so biased. I just stopped reading it because no matter what we do, it’s never going to be good enough for biased writers. It is what it is man. We aren’t going to have all the money that the other company has but I can tell you, we have better wrestling than they do. I’m done listening to the fact that you think you are a genius because you write about a show at your desk and say you can write a show better than our writers can. Yet, you sit at your desk and write about a show that happened. There are so many critics that say so many things and don’t get me wrong, some things I agree on but a lot of it I can’t. They aren’t there, they have no idea. It’s like someone who writes for US magazine about a celebrity that’s totally not true but they got it from a source who got it from a third hand. It’s just ridiculous.â€
On his time with Ric Flair and his mic skills: “I did learn some tricks of the trade from Flair. The fact that I got a mic in my hand, the more you do something the better you are going to be at it. I think I can do better with the mic, just have to give me the time and the right story to tell. I can make it as entertaining as anyone else but you have to give me a chance. Just like wrestling, you have to give me the ball. Ric is so spontaneous and quick witted when it comes to stuff like that. Everybody loves to hear him. Almost doesn’t get any better than Flair. He is Ric Flair. As long as he can still woo, everyone will want to get with that.â€
On his promo to Jeff Hardy following Jeff’s return from the Victory Road 2011 debacle: “You know I spoke to Jeff about that. To be honest, I was pretty upset over that. I take a lot of pride in this company. I’ve put my body, my life, my livelihood for this company. But that has been totally squashed and he is kicking major butt right now. He is in great shape and he is in mentally great shape.â€
On slowing down with age: “Well, things hurt a little bit longer than they used to. As long as I can get in there and go to work. I know some guys have said that I’ve slowed down since I was in Ring Of Honor or whatever other indy I was in. That’s just working smarter, psychology. It’s about finding the right time to do something and making it special.â€
On seeing more submission wrestling lately: “Ever so slightly there are some guys throwing in some submissions. I threw in a flying armbar ever once in a blue moon. I wish I could do that more but it doesn’t seem to be the case in some of my matches.â€
On the creative changes, who was his favorite and who was his least favorite: “I can tell you it was Dusty Rhodes who put me and Daniels in the first 30 minute Iron Man match in TNA. I think it was Jeff Jarrett that put me, Daniels and Samoa Joe in the main event for the X-Division title. Vince Russo also put us in great storylines, like with Christian, Tomko and the like. I can tell you this. I’ve seen a lot of things like ‘Fire Vince Russo’. Russo didn’t come up with all of these ideas. Sure he came up with a few things that weren’t that good and weren’t pleasing to the ears or to the eyes but no one does. Vince wasn’t all that people thought he was as far as this ‘terrible writer’. Vince was a great friend of mine and I’m going to miss him not being here. But for people to say all these terrible things about him and it’s just not all true. They have no idea, even I have no idea of all the things that went on backstage when they are writing the show. You have to think, I don’t know how many writers the other company has, I’m sure its a butt load of them. We have 2 or 3 writers, that’s it. Even if he did, you have to give him credit for putting in so much. Honestly, I hope Vince is enjoying the time off and not have to focus on wrestling. If I had to go through that much in my time in wrestling, I know I would have gone crazy. I just hope he is enjoying himself and his time in Colorado.â€
On the new creative team of Bruce Prichard, Dave Lagana and Matt Conway: “Well, Matt Conway, I’ve been working with him. Lagana, I’ve actually got to communicate with him a lot and Bruce as well. I think the fact that we have been able to communicate is a plus. The lack of communication is what screws things up. Without that you can’t see their vision for what they want. You end up with two different pictures for the same thing.â€
On Hulk Hogan changing AJ’s preconceived notions of Hulk Hogan prior to him coming in to TNA: “Sure he has. He is another guy who if I needed to talk to, I can.â€
On the removal of the six sided ring:“I liked the six sided ring because it was different. It was who we were. We didn’t look like anyone else. Maybe AAA or whoever was using the six sided ring for a second but we had our own thing and it was different from anyone else. When I took the first bump (in the standard ring) I was relived that my back wasn’t breaking in half because the six sided ring is a lot rougher on your body. The squared ring is a lot safer to bump in and so it changed my mind pretty quickly.â€
On being offered a WWE developmental contract for $500 a week and turning it down:“I could tell you what would have happened. Literally 3 months later, WWE pulled their developmental. I’m sure they would have just dumped my contract.â€
On his Christian beliefs: “I have no problem letting everyone know that I’m a Christian. I believe Jesus died for my sins. I don’t deny that. In fact, I’ll tell everyone that asks. I think that because I put GOD first that I’m blessed because of that.â€
lmao