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Tag: AJ Styles

  • AJ Styles Talks About The Perception That He’s The Best In The World

    AJ Styles Talks About The Perception That He’s The Best In The World

    SmackDown Live star AJ Styles spoke with The Independent this week to promote next month’s WWE live events from the UK. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    Why He Loves Performing In The UK:

    “I can’t speak for the rest of the guys but there is a reason why I’ve been over to the UK so many times! It’s such a great crowd there and it feels like just yesterday that I wrestled there [just before joining WWE] and told the UK crowd that if there was a spot for me at the Royal Rumble, I’d go and kick tail for them. “I just really enjoy that part of the country – they’re just true wrestling fans.”

    The Rise Of Independent Wrestling:

    “It is something we’ve said before. It is a great time to be watching wrestling because there are so many things going on. That’s a good thing, and WWE sees that and knows that they need to have something in the UK and Mexico and stuff like that. They recognize that there is other talent out there and it doesn’t always come from the United States. I’m very proud.”

    Fans & His Peers Saying He’s The Best In The World:

    “I don’t know that I’m the best wrestler in the world,” he said. “But I like to think that I work hard when I step into a ring and I take a lot of pride in what I do, take in pride in what I do.

    Who is the best? That’s up for discussion I think; there are a lot of great performers out there. You never know which one is going to be the next ‘top guy’, but if you’re asking me about being the best wrestler in the world? I’d say I’m not.”

    Visit Independent.co.uk to check out the full interview.

  • AJ Styles Talks About Reuniting With Gallows & Anderson To Battle The Shield

    AJ Styles Talks About Reuniting With Gallows & Anderson To Battle The Shield

    AJ Styles is convinced that if he, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson could take out the newly reformed Shield.

    The former WWE United States Champion spoke with Planeta Wrestling this week and said Sunday’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view was the best show SmackDown put on this year. Reacting to Sami Zayn aligning himself with Kevin Owens, AJ stated once again that he’s willing to team with Shane McMahon to battle Owens and Zayn.

    “Shane and I have got a lot of respect for each other especially after WrestleMania, and the guy’s a stud, so you’ve got to respect that about him,” said Styles. “I’ve never really liked Kevin Owens and now that Sami Zayn has joined his crew, it doesn’t make me like Sami Zayn anymore. So you never know, it may happen.”

    This partnership is expected to take place next month at Survivor Series as part of a Team Shane vs. Team Owens elimination match.

    Of course, the big news of the week is the reunion of The Shield. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose will have their hands full at TLC next weekend when they battle Braun Strowman, The Miz, Cesaro and Sheamus. After that, they might be crossing paths with The Club.

    When asked about a possible Club vs. Shield showdown, Styles said he’d love to get back together with his ‘good brothers’ and is certain his crew would come out on top.

    “Absolutely,” he said about The Club’s ability to hang with The Shield. “I think that if Gallows and Anderson and I got together, we would dominate just like we’ve done before. There’s no doubt about it.”

    Discussion: Would you want to see The Club vs. The Shield at Survivor Series?

    H/T: WrestlingINC

  • Xavier Woods Shows Off HIAC Battle Scars (Video), Styles Wants Rematch

    Xavier Woods Shows Off HIAC Battle Scars (Video), Styles Wants Rematch

    – Former WWE United States Champion AJ Styles wants a rematch. Baron Corbon captured the title at Sunday night’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view by defeating Styles and Tye Dillinger in a triple threat match.

    Styles appeared on Talking Smack after HIAC and gave his pitch that he should be entitled to a rematch since Corbin pinned Tye Dillinger to win the gold, not him.

    Meanwhile, Corbin taunted Styles and all the “crybabies out there” after his victory:

    – Following last night’s (Sun. October 8, 2017) Hell In A Cell pay-per-view (PPV), The New Day were unsuccessful in defending their SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships against The Usos inside Hell In A Cell.

    After the match, Xavier Woods took to Instagram to show off his battle scars from the grizzly match. Check it out here:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BaAr2rMBu9b/

  • (Video) AJ Styles Gives ‘Too Sweet’ Gesture To Referee Before Dark Match

    (Video) AJ Styles Gives ‘Too Sweet’ Gesture To Referee Before Dark Match

    Following last night’s (Tues. October 3, 2017) SmackDown Live going off air, AJ Styles teamed up with Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton to take on Jinder Mahal, Rusev and Baron Corbin in a dark match. At one point in the match Styles threw up the ‘Too Sweet’ sign to the referee, who gave it back to Styles and visibly upset Mahal, Rusev, and Mahal. It was a great moment and fans loved it. You can check it out here below:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BZz5BC8gGYF/

  • US Title Match Announced For Hell In A Cell, Updated PPV Card

    US Title Match Announced For Hell In A Cell, Updated PPV Card

    United States Championship match announced for Hell in a Cell

    Baron Corbin faced Tye Dillinger tonight on SmackDown. United States Champion AJ Styles came down and joined commentary for the match. Towards the end of the match, Dillinger connected with a kick that sent Corbin to the floor next to the announce table. Corbin grabbed a cup of water on the announce table and threw it in AJ’s face. Corbin then launched Tye Dillinger into Styles and both Superstars crashed to the floor next to the announce table. Corbin quickly got back into the ring and won the match via count-out.

    After the match, Corbin grabbed a microphone and said that he wasn’t taking any more short cuts. He challenged AJ Styles to a match at WWE Hell in a Cell on October 8th. The match was then made official and AJ Styles will defend his United States Championship against Baron Corbin at WWE Hell in a Cell.

    Updated WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 Card:

    Hell in a Cell Match

    Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens

    WWE Championship

    Jinder Mahal (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

    SmackDown Women’s Championship

    Natalya (c) vs Charlotte Flair

    United States Championship

    AJ Styles (c) vs Baron Corbin

    SmackDown Tag Team Championship Hell in a Cell Match

    New Day (c) vs The Usos

    Bobby Roode vs Dolph Ziggler

    Randy Orton vs Rusev

  • Roman Reigns Names His All-Time Favorite Opponent

    Roman Reigns Names His All-Time Favorite Opponent

    RAW Superstar Roman Reigns was a guest on the CBS Sports In This Corner podcast and spoke to host Brian Campbell about about his favorite WWE feuds.

    Reigns put over AJ Styles as his all-time favorite feud, saying that he could wrestle AJ every day for the rest of his life.

    “It’s hard for me to rank. Do you know what I mean? I have such a deep respect for all the guys that I’m out there with and for me to rank them, I’d feel weird about that. But I think both AJ and I know what we had going on and we can both say that it was special. And I’ll wrestle AJ for the rest of my life. I’ll go out on a limb and say that I would have no problems being in that ring with him if you’re like, ‘hey, that’s the only person you’re going to wrestle,’ I’d be like, ‘well, thank you! That’s easy.’ I mean, it really is.”

    Reigns continued, “If you don’t know by now, if you didn’t know AJ before his coming to the WWE, there’s a reason why he’s in the WWE. There’s a reason why he’s used the way he’s used and it was an absolute pleasure to be in the ring with him.”

    Reigns, who has had memorable feuds with Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker and John Cena, says he and AJ Styles had instant chemistry from the night AJ made his surprise debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble.

    “It was one of those situations I honestly cherish and I’ll never forget those matches we had. I thought our chemistry was incredible from day one in the Rumble. Do you know what I mean? And we had no clue of each other outside just being in that ring and dancing with each other and it was magic. Hopefully, one day, we’ll do it again. He’s over there on the blue side and that’s important because with his leadership, his tenure, being all around the world and having a deep respect for this business. And like we talked about before, that passion, you can’t fake that.”

    You can listen to the full episode of Roman Reigns on the In This Corner podcast below:

  • AJ Styles On Wearing Mask, AJ Lee Compliments Bayley, Brie Bella & Daniel Bryan On Connor’s Cure

    AJ Styles On Wearing Mask, AJ Lee Compliments Bayley, Brie Bella & Daniel Bryan On Connor’s Cure

    AJ Lee compliments Bayley

    A fan posted photos on Twitter of Bayley wearing an AJ shirt, reading her book and posing next to her poster. The fan wrote “get a friend who supports you as much as Bayley supports AJ Lee”. AJ retweeted the post and added that Bayley “is a majestic unicorn, too precious for this world”.

    https://twitter.com/apriIshield/status/909169068342599680

    Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella discuss Connor’s Cure

    The Bella Twins uploaded a new video on their YouTube account with Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella discussing Pediatric Cancer Awareness month. Bryan discussed how he became aware of Connor “The Crusher” Michalek and how they formed a bond.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1VUu5Uq56k

    AJ Styles on wearing his Bullet Club mask in Japan

    AJ Styles wore the mask he used during his run with NJPW with the Bullet Club at a WWE Live Event in Osaka, Japan. Styles wore the mask down to the ring and then removed it before the match started. Styles posted a photo on Instagram about wearing the mask and added “Had to show that CLUB love in Osaka!”.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BZIERvJAHI6/

  • WWE Osaka Results (9/16): AJ Styles Rocks ‘Club’ Mask, Asuka Appearance

    WWE Osaka Results (9/16): AJ Styles Rocks ‘Club’ Mask, Asuka Appearance

    The following are results from Saturday’s SmackDown live event from Osaka, Japan:

    – SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day retained over Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin

    – Sami Zayn defeated Aiden English

    – Randy Orton defeated Rusev in a Last Man Standing match

    – United States Champion AJ Styles retained over Kevin Owens. Styles wore a mask resembling the logo of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson’s team, The Club.

    * Luke Harper defeated Erick Rowan

    – Charlotte Flair, Naomi and Becky Lynch defeated Carmella, Lana, Tamina Snuka and SmackDown Women’s Champion Natalya. Asuka, who is set to debut on the RAW brand in the coming weeks, accompanied the babyface team and received a huge pop when she addressed the audience before the match. She was wearing a sling on her arm.

    – WWE Champion Jinder Mahal retained over Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event. Nakamura got the biggest pop of the night. He took out The Singh Brothers after the match and spoke to the crowd to thank them for coming to the show.

    https://twitter.com/TooPhenomenal/status/908985854617702400

  • AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin Confirmed For Next Week’s SmackDown

    AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin Confirmed For Next Week’s SmackDown

    After strong viewership for this week’s “Sin City” edition of SmackDown Live, WWE is looking to keep the momentum going with a big title match just announced for next week.

    United States Champion AJ Styles will defend the gold against Baron Corbin next Tuesday night. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon in a video hosted by Cathy Kelley.

    Styles and Corbin have been at odds for weeks. On this week’s show, Corbin got involved in Styles’ title defense against Tye Dillinger. The interference was blocked, but after the match, Corbin laid Styles out with End of Days and told the Phenomenal One he’ll be answering the US ‘Open Challenge’ next week. Now, it’s official.

  • AJ Styles Jobs To Randy Orton In Mario Kart, NXT Tapings Tonight

    AJ Styles Jobs To Randy Orton In Mario Kart, NXT Tapings Tonight

    – As you probably know, many pro wrestlers are big gamers. Video games are great way for them to pass the time on the road and flex their competitive muscles outside the ring.

    SmackDown Live stars Randy Orton and AJ Styles had a competitive game of Mario Kart for Nintendo Switch on Wednesday night, with Orton delivering a virtual RKO to the United States Champion. Orton says UpUpDownDown star Xavier Woods witnessed his win, but AJ Styles has multiple excuses for why he lost.

    – WWE will hold another round of NXT TV tapings tonight at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.  Last night’s show featured WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne defending against Wolfgang, Billie Kay & Payton Royce vs. Ruby Riot & Nikki Cross, Johnny Gargano and the Street Profits in action and an appearance from the Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish).

    Click here to check out our detailed recap of this week’s NXT.

  • AJ Styles Reveals The Biggest Moment Of His Wrestling Career

    AJ Styles Reveals The Biggest Moment Of His Wrestling Career

    WWE Superstar AJ Styles recently did an interview with the Hindustan Times to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Styles discussed what he believes to be the biggest moment of his career, the transition from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) to WWE, and if there’s room from improvement for himself inside the squared circle. Here are the highlights:

    The biggest moment of his career:

    “My debut in the Royal Rumble was the biggest moment of my career! I was quite overwhelmed by the support shown by WWE fans and that is something I will never forget.”

    Transitioning from NJPW to WWE:

    “I never changed my style with respect to how my wrestle. The only difference was that WWE has a lot more cameras facing you than the independent circuit, but I think that was just a learning curve that you need to go through and it has really helped me.”

    If there’s room for improvement:

    “Of course I have room for improvement. Look at a talent like Kazuchika Okada; he is one of the best wrestlers in the world and the kid is not even 30. He has won the IWGP championship at such a young age and when you see a talent like that, it inspires you to work harder.”

    You can read Styles’ full interview with The Hindustan Times by clicking here.

  • AJ Styles & Seth Rollins Hype Their Madden Rematch, Chris Jericho Is Excited For ‘It’

    AJ Styles & Seth Rollins Hype Their Madden Rematch, Chris Jericho Is Excited For ‘It’

    – If you’re a big fan of The New Day member Xavier Wood’s YouTube Channel, Up Up Down Down, you may have seen Seth Rollins obliterate AJ Styles in the finals of their Madden Playstation 4 Tournament. After the match, Styles called for a rematch on Xbox which Rollins said he would happily oblige. Below are videos of Styles and Rollins each hyping up the rematch:

    – WWE Superstar Chris Jericho took to Instagram to use his old “It” catchphrase to play into the equally-named film which hits theaters today (Fri. September 8, 2017). “Y2J” said he has heard the film is terrifying and he can’t wait to check it out:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BYv6t_WFNpr/

  • Chris Jericho Reveals How He Got Styles Clash Unbanned From WWE

    Chris Jericho Reveals How He Got Styles Clash Unbanned From WWE

    It’s a known fact that WWE has banned several moves they consider ‘too dangerous’ for their programming and when AJ Styles first came to the company many believed that his Styles Clash would result in WWE Superstars being injured.

    It was reported that Vince McMahon found out about a botched Styles Clash which broke Yoshi Tatsu’s neck and he was said to be concerned about it being used on WWE Programming.

    At one point Styles didn’t use the move for long which started rumors that WWE has banned it and AJ himself had to clear that it wasn’t the case. Now it appears Chris Jericho played a part in getting the move ‘unbanned’ from the company.

    During his recent appearance on 107.7 The Bone with Baby Huey & Bimbo Jimbo, Jericho talked about the time AJ first came to WWE and revealed that Styles Clash was unofficially banned because of rumors of people getting hurt about it:

    “He had this finishing move called the Styles Clash which was kind of unofficially banned in the WWE because there was rumors that people had gotten hurt from it and all that sort of thing, but I knew it was a great move.”

    Continuing on the topic Chris said that he let Styles use the move in their matches and eventually he reached Mr. McMahon and told the boss that AJ should use that move to which he replied positively, ending the unspoken ban:

    “Eventually I went to Vince and said “Did you see that move that AJ Did?” Never using the words the Styles Clash because I knew…that name is taboo.  So, I said you know that move where he picks me up and dumps me on my face?…He should use that as a finish!” [and McMahon said] ‘Yes, absolutely use it as a finish’.”

    Apart from this Chris Jericho also talked about his recent WWE run and more.

    Quotes via 411mania

  • Rumored Plans For AJ Styles & The United States Championship

    Rumored Plans For AJ Styles & The United States Championship

    AJ Styles and Kevin Owens have been feuding with each other over the United States title for a while now, though now it appears that Owens will be moving away from the title picture soon.

    According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE has plans for Baron Corbin to have a rivalry with Styles for the coveted Championship in the upcoming time.

    This is said to be one of the reasons why Corbin was made a special guest referee during the United States Championship match at SmackDown Live this week.

    Regarding Kevin, Shane McMahon had stated that his match this past Tuesday would be Owens’ last opportunity to capture the United States title as long as AJ is the champion.

    So it’s expected that the former Universal Champion will be moving away from the US title picture and he will be entering his rumored feud with Shane McMahon in the upcoming time.

    Per Observer, the rivalry between the SmackDown Commissioner and the former Raw star is expected to lead to a Team Owens vs Team Shane match at the Survivor Series PPV.

    Though it’s worth mentioning here that due to the repetitive reports of Baron Corbin having backstage heat, it’s hard to believe that Corbin would actually be winning the belt.

    Instead, he appears to be a challenger for the former WWE Champion’s title until WWE decides to put the belt on someone else.

  • AJ Styles: The Young Bucks Will Be In WWE Within 5 Years

    AJ Styles: The Young Bucks Will Be In WWE Within 5 Years

    SmackDown Live star AJ Styles is convinced that his former Bullet Club partners The Young Bucks will be in WWE one day. During a recent interview with PWInsider, Styles commented about the possibility of Nick and Matt Jackson joining the WWE Universe.

    “Oh man, that is a tough question. For guys who know to do what they do and they’ve got it done before they even get here….so, I would say….oh, that’s a tough question, man….I give them five years, at the most. Within five years. Yeah. That’s my timeline.”

    Styles said the prospect of him being in WWE was once hard to envision.

    “What do you think, had the people asked, ‘Do you think AJ Styles would come here?’, if you could have asked that ten years ago? What do you think people would have said then? You never know, man.”

    The Young Bucks are the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions and recently captured the ROH Six Man Tag Team Championships (with Adam Page).

    Back in May, the Bucks appeared on Edge & Christian’s E&C Pod of Awesomeness commented on the possibility of joining WWE one day. Nick and Matt revealed that they’re currently under contract to Ring of Honor until the end of 2018, but “never say never.”

    “Right now, we can’t, obviously, because we’re under a contract for the next, what, 18 months or so. But I don’t know. It’s such a hard question to answer because right now, I’d say ‘no’, obviously, because I can’t and we’re having a blast, like, on our own, doing it the way we do it. We’re having a good time doing it. I don’t know. It’s never say ‘never’, I guess. You can’t really say ‘no’ to that because that is the place everyone has wanted to wrestle, so I can’t say ‘no’, but, as of now, we’re happy with what we’re doing.”

    https://youtu.be/D9QqZJysHmc

    Matt stated that now wouldn’t be a good time for him and his brother to make the jump over to the WWE because of all the hot talent there, and fear of getting lost in the shuffle:

    “Even if we were available right now, now is not the time to go for us because everybody in the world is going there and so for the first time I can even remember, it doesn’t seem cool to go there right now.” Matt admitted, “I think for us, if we did sign right now, we’d probably be lost in the shuffle.”

    They added that right now, they have a lot of creative control over their characters, which they probably wouldn’t have in WWE.

  • Eric Bischoff Praises Bobby Roode’s WWE Main Roster Debut, Makes AJ Styles Comparison

    Eric Bischoff Praises Bobby Roode’s WWE Main Roster Debut, Makes AJ Styles Comparison

    Former WCW President and Monday Night RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff recently took to his podcast, Bischoff On Wrestling, to comment on the now-former NXT Champion Bobby Roode’s recent main roster debut on SmackDown Live. Bischoff claimed that he sees Roode being successful anywhere on the WWE’s card, even as a main eventer, and made an interesting comparison between Roode and AJ Styles. Here are the highlights:

    Could Bobby Roode be successful as a main eventer:

    “I think Bobby Roode has all of the talent in the world to be successful anywhere on the card, including the main event. I can’t say enough good things about Bobby Roode. As a human being, as a performer… I am just surprised it has taken this long quite frankly. I expected Bobby to kind of explode out of the scene much the same way AJ Styles did. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

    If he wishes Roode and AJ Styles got a shot like this in WWE sooner:

    “No. They are where they are because of what they learned, because of the experience and because of the journey. Both AJ and Bobby, neither one of them are injury prone. I still think they’ve got a lot of runway left in them. I really, really do. They are great athletes, unbelievably talented, smart, they know how to conduct themselves both in and out of the ring. All of that will lead to a lot of longevity in my opinion. I think we are going to be seeing AJ Styles and Bobby Roode for a long time to come.”

    H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

  • WWE SummerSlam Results: AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens For The United States Championship

    WWE SummerSlam Results: AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens For The United States Championship

    AJ Styles defended his United States Championship against Kevin Owens tonight during WWE SummerSlam. SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon served as the referee for the match.

    AJ controlled the match early and connected with a Dropkick. Styles then spent the next couple of minutes in control until Owens connected with a jab to AJ’s throat. Owens followed it up with a Clothesline that sent AJ flipping across the ring. Owens connected with a series of right hands and shouted “who is phenomenal now?”.

    Owens threw Styles to the corner and connected with a Cannonball for a two count. Owens shouted at Shane McMahon for a slow count and yelled at his positioning in the ring. Owens connected with a Senton for another two count and then applied a Chin Lock. Owens slammed Styles to the mat for a two count and once again started shouting at Shane McMahon.

    Owens went for the Pop-Up Powerbomb but AJ countered it into a Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker for a two count. AJ went for the springboard 450 Splash but Kevin Owens dragged Shane McMahon on top of him and Styles landed on Shane. Owens then hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Styles kicked out at two.

    Kevin Owens once again started shouting at Shane McMahon as AJ made his way back to his feet. Owens charged at Styles but AJ got out of the way and Owens hit the ring post. Styles locked in the Calf Crusher but Owens raked AJ’s eyes to break the hold. Styles got frustrated and shoved Shane McMahon. Shane shoved back and Owens rolled AJ up for a two count.

    Styles Suplexed Owens into the turnbuckle and then perched Owens up on the top rope. Owens battled back and hit a massive Superplex for a two count. Owens and Styles got back to their feet and started trading punches and chops. Styles went for a Pele Kick but Owens got out of the way and connected with a Superkick. Styles planted Owens with a Styles Clash but Owens was somehow able to power out at two.

    Owens avoided a forearm from Styles and planted AJ with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens thought he won the match but AJ’s foot was on the rope. Owens got in Shane’s face and the two started shoving each other. AJ rolled up Owens for a two count. Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm and then hit the Styles Clash for the victory.

  • Frankie Kazarian Talks Christopher Daniels’ ROH World Title Win, AJ Styles & Samoa Joe

    Frankie Kazarian Talks Christopher Daniels’ ROH World Title Win, AJ Styles & Samoa Joe

    Former Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champion Frankie Kazarian recently spoke with The Wrestling News Hub about various topics including his friendship with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe as well as Christopher Daniels winning the ROH World Title from Adam Cole at the ROH 15 Anniversary pay-per-view event in March. Here are some of the highlights:

    Christopher Daniels winning the ROH World Title earlier this year:

    “First and foremost, I was very, very proud of the entire angle, and how we were able to hook everybody and pull the wool over everyone’s eyes, which is hard to do these days in the professional wrestling landscape. That was great and everyone played their part so well. The Young Bucks and Adam Cole. Everyone played their part so well. The night Chris won the title I was right there with him and it was as though I had won the title myself. How much he has given this business, if people only knew they would be astonished, and I know it was something he wanted for so long and worked so very hard for. It was like imaging two guys who were actors that came up together, and one gets nominated for an Academy Award, you are going to be happy for them, it’s the pinnacle. For him to be the Ring of Honor World Champion meant so much to him because of his pedigree there. It was just a great night, one of the better nights of my career. I am very happy for him and so very happy the angle came off the way that it did. Everyone enjoyed the match, and everyone enjoyed the way the angle came off. It was just a really, really good night for me and my career.”

    His friendship with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe:

    “We just make it work. You would be hard pressed to find four guys that were closer than AJ, Joe, Daniels, and I; we have been through a lot together. From our time in TNA and being there from day one, and just all the ebbs and flows and ups and downs that each guy has gone through, great times and hard times, and being there for each other and having each other’s backs, and then wars in the ring whether it be on the same side or against each other. It creates a unique bond. I can’t really put it into words. We have such a strong bond, and no matter how much time passes, when you see each other and when you talk on the phone you are right back to where you started. I could go months without seeing Joe and AJ, but when we do get together it’s like it was five minutes. I am blessed and fortunate to have a bond with three guys that I have known many years. They are the best friends I could ask for. For me, it was real easy, and I have a lot of really good friends, but those are the guys that I will communicate with until they throw dirt on me. It is pretty simple because that bond is so strong.”

    You can read the entire interview here.

  • AJ Styles Wants To Main Event WrestleMania Against Shinsuke Nakamura

    AJ Styles Wants To Main Event WrestleMania Against Shinsuke Nakamura

    WWE United States Champion AJ Styles participated in a Q&A panel this past weekend at the Wizard World Columbus comic convention and spoke about which Superstars he’d like to work with in the future. Styes said there’s a number of guys looking forward to wrestling, whether it’s Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor or Seth Rollins. He’d also be down for another program with Roman Reigns.

    When pressed about which of those names he most wants to wrestle, Styles said it has to be Nakamura – and he knows when and where that match should take place. The two men have torn the house down before (see below) and Styles said his first match against Nakamura in WWE is worthy of the main event of WrestleMania.

    https://youtu.be/UOkXGgJwmVk

    Courtesy of ScreenGeek.net, Styles said, “I’m picking Shinsuke. Sorry, that’s nothing on Finn Balor. The reason why I say this is because at Wrestlemania, it’s not going to happen with Finn Balor and I. Why? Because he’s on Raw. Shinsuke’s my best chance getting into that Main Event picture at Wrestlemania. That’s why he wins the championship. I hope he wins it so I can get in there and wrestle him at Wrestlemania.”

    Styles is excited that Nakamura is getting a shot at WWE Champion Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam. Whether that match closes the show or not, Styles can’t wait to see the match.

    “This guy has paid his dues. He’s been in Japan for a long time and he’s so charismatic in everything he does. I’m looking forward to the match just like everyone else.”

  • WWE Superstars Appear In The Latest ‘Being The Elite’ (Video)

    WWE Superstars Appear In The Latest ‘Being The Elite’ (Video)

    NJPW stars The Young Bucks produce a popular YouTube series alongside Bullet Club/Elite member Kenny Omega called ‘Being The Elite.’

    The Bucks took the show to Montreal over the weekend and managed to get some of their old friends from WWE on camera, including AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

    Matt and Nick Jackson were both appearing in Canada for an International Wrestling Syndicate event, you can check out the latest episode of ‘Being The Elite’ below.

  • AJ Styles Talks Vince McMahon Initially Doubting His Popularity With Fans

    AJ Styles Talks Vince McMahon Initially Doubting His Popularity With Fans

    WWE United States Champion AJ Styles was recent a guest on former WWE Tag Team Champions Edge and Christian’s podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness, to talk about his journey in WWE. During their conversation “The Phenomenal One” talked about Vince McMahon doubting his popularity with fans prior to his WWE debut at last year’s Royal Rumble, and how having a relationship with “The Chairman Of The Board” has made all the difference in his WWE career. Here’s what he had to say:

    Vince McMahon initially doubting his popularity with fans prior to last year’s Royal Rumble:

    “I didn’t know if anybody was going to know who I was. I was gone for almost two years and now I was debuting in Orlando [Florida], which benefited me in WWE.”

    “The way that they did it, with coming out number three, it couldn’t have been any better. It really couldn’t’ve. The reaction was unbelievable. I did not expect that. It’s one of those things in WWE history that will be forever there because it was that kind of reaction that I didn’t expect. I don’t think anybody expected that. I definitely don’t think Vince expected that because I’ve heard stories that he’s like, ‘nobody’s going to know who this guy is and you want him out number three!’ So it definitely worked out to my benefit.”

    Having a relationship with McMahon and it making all the difference in his WWE career:

    “It made the biggest difference and I learned that he wants to talk to you. He wants to have a relationship with you and it’s up to you to do that. I mean, the guy’s super busy, so I try not to bother him unless I have something that I think is important, but it’s nice to know that there’s one guy I can talk to and he’ll tell me ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and that’s it.”

    Check out Styles’ interview with Edge and Christian by clicking here.

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • Shane McMahon Training For WWE SummerSlam Match, AJ Styles Focused On US Title

    Shane McMahon Training For WWE SummerSlam Match, AJ Styles Focused On US Title

    Shane McMahon looking forward to being the special referee for US Title match at WWE SummerSlam

    Smackdown commissioner Shane McMahon was announced as the special referee for the United States Championship match at WWE SummerSlam on August 20th. AJ Styles defended the US Title against Kevin Owens to kick of this week’s episode of SmackDown on Tuesday night. Styles won the match in a controversial manner as Owens accidentally struck referee Mike Chioda. Styles then rolled up Owens for the victory, but Owens’ shoulders were clearly off the mat.

    Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were telling Mike Chioda backstage that he made a huge mistake during the finish of the match and that he should have called for help. Owens then interrupted and flipped out on Chioda. Owens tried to grab Chioda but Shane McMahon got in his face. Shane McMahon gave Owens another shot at the US Title at SummerSlam, but Owens wasn’t satisfied. Owens demanded a capable official and Daniel Bryan suggested Shane McMahon. Owens claimed that McMahon was the most incompetent person on SmackDown, but Shane informed Owens that the only way he will get his rematch is if Shane is the referee. Owens accepted but was visibly frustrated before walking away.

    Shane McMahon tweeted out the following a couple of hours ago and said that he back to training and is looking forward to being the referee for the match at WWE SummerSlam:

    AJ Styles on his WWE SummerSlam match against Kevin Owens

    While this storyline and the fan reaction seems to be focused on Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens, United States Champion AJ Styles tweeted out the following to let everyone know what he is focused on:

  • Title Match w/ Shane McMahon As Special Referee Announced For WWE SummerSlam, Updated PPV Card

    Title Match w/ Shane McMahon As Special Referee Announced For WWE SummerSlam, Updated PPV Card

    AJ Styles defended his United States Championship against Kevin Owens tonight to kick off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Kevin Owens controlled the majority of the match, but the match turned when Kevin Owens accidentally punched referee Mike Chioda in the face. Owens then quickly went for the Pop-Up Powerbomb on Styles but AJ reversed it into a roll-up for the victory. Owens’ shoulders were clearly off the mat but Chioda didn’t realize it due to being punched in the face.

    SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon and SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan had a conversation with Mike Chioda backstage. They pointed out that he made a huge mistake and Chioda owned up to it. Owens then stormed in and interrupted the conversation and started shouting at Chioda. Owens went to grab Chioda but Shane McMahon got in his face.

    Shane said that Owens will indeed get another shot at the United States Championship because of the referee’s mistake. Owens wasn’t satisfied and continued to shout at Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon. Owens demanded a competent referee for the match and Daniel Bryan suggested Shane McMahon. Shane agreed to it and Owens got even more pissed off. Owens said that Shane McMahon was even more incompetent than the referees on SmackDown.

    Updated WWE SummerSlam card

    Fatal 4-Way for the WWE Universal Championship

    •  Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe vs Braun Strowman

    (if Brock Lesnar loses, he leaves WWE)

    SmackDown Women’s Championship

    • Naomi (c) vs Natalya

    RAW Women’s Championship

    • Alexa Bliss (c) vs Bayley

    United States Championship (Special Referee Shane McMahon)

    • AJ Styles (c) vs Kevin Owens

  • AJ Styles Names Who He’d Still Like To Work With In WWE

    AJ Styles Names Who He’d Still Like To Work With In WWE

    WWE United States Champion AJ Styles recently did an appearance on former WWE Tag Team Champions Edge and Christian’s podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness, to talk about his time thus far in the WWE. Styles discussed his recent United States Title win at a MSG house show, who he has yet to work with in the WWE that he’d like to, feuding with Shinsuke Nakamura in the future, and his top goal that he has with the company. You can check out the highlights here:

    Winning the United States Championship at an MSG house show:

    “To me, it’s smart. It’s something that hasn’t been done in a long time and to do it at Madison Square Garden and everybody with WWE knows that’s a big deal. I think it was awesome. I think it was very clever and I loved it.” Styles recalled, “there was a pop, ‘he won!

    “Yes!’ but, ‘well, who’s going to walk out there?’ and then, there was another pop because nobody walked out there. It was really cool, but it was smart to not do that every year, but every couple of years to do something like that. I think it just came down to doing something different and it was Vince’s call and no one else’s. And yeah, it was great.”

    Who he still wants to work with in the WWE:

    “I have yet to wrestle Rusev and I think that would be really fun, to wrestle a guy like him. But there are guys on the RAW side that I haven’t really been in the ring with like Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor. I think people want to see. I’ve never worked Shinsuke Nakamura on US soil, so that could be a big deal as well.”

    Already pitching a feud with Shinsuke Nakamura to WWE officials:

    “Hopefully, when it finally happens in WWE, it should be something big. It should be bigger than just a match. That’s the one I’d like to do at WrestleMania, to be honest with you. But, I’ve let them know how important it is to me that we don’t do that, that we don’t just have a match.

    “There’s so much build that can go into this and I almost feel like right before people think it’s about to happen, finally we get Nakamura and AJ Styles at this pay-per-view, something happens. Like, we can stretch this out as long as we want to finally give you the big payoff when it’s necessary, the climax of it, if you will.”

    Wanting to main event WrestleMania:

    “I would like to somehow find myself back at the main event. Everybody wants to be in the main event of WrestleMania. I’ll keep climbing that ladder and see where it takes me, but there’s nothing better than being a part of WrestleMania except being in the main event of WrestleMania.”

    You can listen to Styles’ full interview with Edge and Christian by clicking here.

    H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions 

  • AJ Styles Reclaims US Title, Rematch Set For Next Week

    AJ Styles Reclaims US Title, Rematch Set For Next Week

    Tonight on SmackDown, Chris Jericho made his surprise return to WWE. He confronted Kevin Owens and stated that he was in line for a rematch for the United States Championship. AJ Styles came down to the ring and said that he was entitled to a shot at the title before Jericho because he just lost it two days ago at WWE Battleground. Owens denied both of them the opportunity and claimed that the United States Championship will not be defended in front of the people of Richmond, Virginia. SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon then came down to the entrance ramp and informed Kevin Owens that he will be defending his US Title tonight in a Triple Threat match against both AJ Styles and Chris Jericho.

    During the SmackDown main-event, Kevin Owens hit Jericho with a Superkick and then planted him with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens went for the cover but Jericho somehow was able to kick out at two. Owens then climbed up to the top rope and connected with a massive Frog Splash. Owens once again went for the cover but AJ Styles sprinted into the ring and threw Owens to the outside. Styles then quickly covered Jericho and stole the victory to become the new United States Champion.

    After the match, Kevin Owens lost his mind and destroyed the announce table ringside. Owens then grabbed a microphone as Styles celebrated with the United States Championship on the entrance ramp. Owens told everyone in the crowd to shut up and ranted that it wasn’t fair that Shane McMahon made him defend the United States Championship tonight in a Triple Threat match. SmackDown went off the air with Owens demanding that he get his rematch for the US Title against AJ Styles next week on SmackDown.