https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfYd9fAZzPA
AJ Styles has a theory about Hulk Hogan’s TNA run, which went from 2009 to 2013 and gave The Hulkster and Eric Bischoff a lot of influence over the company’s television product. Styles recently appeared on The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast and was critical when asked about the Bischoff/Hogan era in TNA.
AJ started by saying Hogan and Bischoff didn’t study the TNA roster before their arrival, and didn’t know enough about TNA’s homegrown talent.
“First of all, I just tried to stay positive. Pretty much anything Hulk Hogan touched at least at the beginning turned to gold,” Styles said. “But it didn’t obviously, because I don’t think he knew the roster that was in front of him and that was the problem. The names, the people who were the “brand names” of TNA that they had no idea who they were. If they didn’t know who they were they just did whatever they wanted with it. They wanted me to dye my hair blonde and be ‘Little Ric’ and just because they didn’t know me. Instead of being Ric Flair I needed to be AJ Styles with Ric Flair. Being with Ric I’ll hopefully get the rub from Ric there is no doubt about that and Fortune could have been great but they broke up Fortune a little bit too early and we were really getting some steam and they broke us up and noting came about it.
Styles feels Hogan didn’t use his many mainstream media appearances to promote TNA, instead discussing his personal turmoils. Styles believes that Hogan was embarrassed by TNA, and purposely didn’t talk about it much with the media.
“It was things like that that got weird, and Hogan seemed like he didn’t have much to do with TNA and seemed like he was embarrassed of the show because he never said anything about TNA at all,” Styles cotinued. “Even when he was on shows he just never mentioned it. I believe that he was ashamed of what was on TV. I believe if TNA were doing a lot better he would have been a lot more gung-ho about saying a lot more about it but he didn’t say a word and it bothered me but thinking back I understand it now.”
Styles has been on the injured list since 11/24 due to a bulging disc in his lower back.
Related: Recap Of Hulk Hogan On Ric Flair’s Podcast: “TNA Had Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen”
