AJ Styles

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.

My wife can't move with me. She's in college about to finish. She's going to be a teacher. And I was like, this just doesn't sound right. And I believed in my heart that I was making the right decision. And I even told Johnny, as much as I'd love to come up there and train, I just could not have my wife moving with her parents. I didn't think that was right.

My wife can't move with me. She's in college about to finish. She's going to be a teacher. And I was like, this just doesn't sound right. And I believed in my heart that I was making the right decision. And I even told Johnny, as much as I'd love to come up there and train, I just could not have my wife moving with her parents. I didn't think that was right.

My job is to take care of her, not the other way around. Which is crazy to think. You were saying no to WWE at that time. I said no. I mean, I said no to a developmental that's never promised, right? It's true, yeah. HWA was the developmental back then. But you know what? Not only was it the best decision because TNA would happen shortly after that in 2002, but...

My job is to take care of her, not the other way around. Which is crazy to think. You were saying no to WWE at that time. I said no. I mean, I said no to a developmental that's never promised, right? It's true, yeah. HWA was the developmental back then. But you know what? Not only was it the best decision because TNA would happen shortly after that in 2002, but...

HWA stopped being a developmental for them shortly after that as well. So I am guaranteed to not have made it through that cut again. You know, like I wouldn't have made it. I mean, I wasn't a big guy. What did I have to offer him? There was no, you know, smaller guys really that did anything in WWE that time. So I think it worked out pretty good based on what happened.

HWA stopped being a developmental for them shortly after that as well. So I am guaranteed to not have made it through that cut again. You know, like I wouldn't have made it. I mean, I wasn't a big guy. What did I have to offer him? There was no, you know, smaller guys really that did anything in WWE that time. So I think it worked out pretty good based on what happened.

Again, I remember Jerry Jarrett. I was told that they were doing an independent show. I didn't really know much about it. They were looking for talent. I didn't think anything about it. It was just another indie show and I was getting money to do it. Okay, I can do it. Drive up to Nashville. Me and David Young had a match that

Again, I remember Jerry Jarrett. I was told that they were doing an independent show. I didn't really know much about it. They were looking for talent. I didn't think anything about it. It was just another indie show and I was getting money to do it. Okay, I can do it. Drive up to Nashville. Me and David Young had a match that

We've had before, just turned it up a little bit because they wanted to see more. That was it. I didn't think much of it. And again, I was at the right place at the right time with the right guy watching. Yeah. And, you know, shortly after that, now I'm with TNA. So I'm going up, I think it was every Wednesday.

We've had before, just turned it up a little bit because they wanted to see more. That was it. I didn't think much of it. And again, I was at the right place at the right time with the right guy watching. Yeah. And, you know, shortly after that, now I'm with TNA. So I'm going up, I think it was every Wednesday.

Yeah. I think, right? Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, again, I'm not thinking anything. This is still NWA TNA. Yeah, it's NWA TNA. Yeah, we still had girls dancing in the cages, you know? So, yeah, I didn't think much of anything was going to last. I'm sure no one did. And based on what happened, it shouldn't have.

Yeah. I think, right? Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, again, I'm not thinking anything. This is still NWA TNA. Yeah, it's NWA TNA. Yeah, we still had girls dancing in the cages, you know? So, yeah, I didn't think much of anything was going to last. I'm sure no one did. And based on what happened, it shouldn't have.

lasted, you know, because I think they got, I don't want to say they got scammed or maybe it is, you know, and they were supposed to get this. They didn't get that. Not as many people could see it as we thought. And luckily the Carters came in and kind of picked that thing up. And then after about three months of being on NWA TNA, I was like, oh, I guess this is a thing now, you know?

lasted, you know, because I think they got, I don't want to say they got scammed or maybe it is, you know, and they were supposed to get this. They didn't get that. Not as many people could see it as we thought. And luckily the Carters came in and kind of picked that thing up. And then after about three months of being on NWA TNA, I was like, oh, I guess this is a thing now, you know?

And then it kind of grew pretty quick after that.

And then it kind of grew pretty quick after that.

Oh, no. Stop being modest. I'm serious. I believe that I could have good matches with anybody, but I felt like there was always someone that I can learn from. As long as there's always someone I can learn from, and to me, if I can learn from you, that means you're a bigger star. And I always felt like those guys were – I was still surrounded by those guys because we had Sting come in.

Oh, no. Stop being modest. I'm serious. I believe that I could have good matches with anybody, but I felt like there was always someone that I can learn from. As long as there's always someone I can learn from, and to me, if I can learn from you, that means you're a bigger star. And I always felt like those guys were – I was still surrounded by those guys because we had Sting come in.

And I respect that guy so much. You know, such a nice guy, you know. And I was – thank God he wasn't some of these other heroes that other guys have met. But mine was freaking awesome. That was Sting. And, you know, we got Kevin Nash, Booker T. Like, I learned something from all these guys. And then Kurt Angle as he progressed. These are the guys that I'm in the ring with learning from.