AJ Styles

And, I mean, a month into training, I was already in the ring. That's way dumb. But the opportunity to learn from guys in the ring while you're wrestling is, I think, the best way to learn. You better learn quick or nobody's going to want to wrestle you. So I was a sponge, man. Anytime someone told me something, they only had to tell me once. I was going to make sure that I remembered it.

And it just kind of took off from there. And then we had a kind of a developmental with WCW at the time. We had some big, that was the first time I met Bob Sapp. He came in and became friends with him because he was doing his thing for WCW. And a lot of the other guys were there from WCW.

And it just kind of took off from there. And then we had a kind of a developmental with WCW at the time. We had some big, that was the first time I met Bob Sapp. He came in and became friends with him because he was doing his thing for WCW. And a lot of the other guys were there from WCW.

And so while they were watching their guys, they were able to see Air Paris and myself wrestling and having decent matches and doing some crazy stuff. And that's how we got our opportunity in WCW. What was the first big break for you? I think that was it. That was the first big break. It was like, wow, I get a chance to wrestle. I mean, before that, I'd done extra stuff in WCW. But...

And so while they were watching their guys, they were able to see Air Paris and myself wrestling and having decent matches and doing some crazy stuff. And that's how we got our opportunity in WCW. What was the first big break for you? I think that was it. That was the first big break. It was like, wow, I get a chance to wrestle. I mean, before that, I'd done extra stuff in WCW. But...

but it was that, that chance to get in there and, and do it in a WCW ring in Baltimore. As a matter of fact, they gave us a trial in Baltimore, air Paris and myself, and kind of busted out the shooting star to the floor in that match. And, other things that I'm sure I'd hate now watching, you know, but that was the, you know, we were only into, that was, I started in 99 by 2001. I was in WCW.

but it was that, that chance to get in there and, and do it in a WCW ring in Baltimore. As a matter of fact, they gave us a trial in Baltimore, air Paris and myself, and kind of busted out the shooting star to the floor in that match. And, other things that I'm sure I'd hate now watching, you know, but that was the, you know, we were only into, that was, I started in 99 by 2001. I was in WCW.

Wow. That's kind of quick.

Wow. That's kind of quick.

You know, so I was at the right place, the right time, the right guys watching.

You know, so I was at the right place, the right time, the right guys watching.

I don't think it was close at all.

I don't think it was close at all.

It was after WCW went under. I'd been under contract with WCW for five months. Johnny Ace calls me and said, WWE's not picking up your contract. It freaking broke me. I went to and felt sorry for myself for about a good week. That was like, all right, here we go. I I'm trying to think how quickly it happened.

It was after WCW went under. I'd been under contract with WCW for five months. Johnny Ace calls me and said, WWE's not picking up your contract. It freaking broke me. I went to and felt sorry for myself for about a good week. That was like, all right, here we go. I I'm trying to think how quickly it happened.

See, I want to say that at that moment, I believe the NWA was having their 53rd anniversary, and I believe that was in Petersburg, Florida. Does that sound right? Peterburg? Anyway, somewhere down in Florida. And some Japanese guys were going to be there. And I was like, I'm going to go down there. I'm going to wrestle. They're going to want me. I'm going to go to Japan and wrestle.

See, I want to say that at that moment, I believe the NWA was having their 53rd anniversary, and I believe that was in Petersburg, Florida. Does that sound right? Peterburg? Anyway, somewhere down in Florida. And some Japanese guys were going to be there. And I was like, I'm going to go down there. I'm going to wrestle. They're going to want me. I'm going to go to Japan and wrestle.

That's how I'm going to make it back. Wow. I went down there. I wrestled Christopher Daniels for the first time. First time we met, first time we wrestled. And we connected, man. It was perfect. Our timing was the same. Everything was, you know, and Christopher Daniels at that time. It was like, if you can't have a good match with him, you might as well quit. And we gelled so well.

That's how I'm going to make it back. Wow. I went down there. I wrestled Christopher Daniels for the first time. First time we met, first time we wrestled. And we connected, man. It was perfect. Our timing was the same. Everything was, you know, and Christopher Daniels at that time. It was like, if you can't have a good match with him, you might as well quit. And we gelled so well.

Yeah, it was a week, $500 a week to move to Cincinnati. And I'm sure you've heard this story before, but like, I was like, wait, so I have to move to Cincinnati for, and I'll make $500 a week, the same amount of money I was making at my bottled water job, you know, and I'm going to have to pay a lot more taxes on that $500 that I'm making. And I'm just thinking all this stuff in my head.