AJ Styles and Kevin Owens have had numerous singles matches against each other, but never in WWE until now. Owens has been booked to defend his Intercontinental Title against Styles at WWE’s Madison Square Garden show on March 25th. The event is being promoted as “Daniel Bryan Night.”

Here is the updated card for 3/25:

– Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Triple H and Sheamus

Intercontinental title match
– Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles

United States title match
– Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio

– Big Show vs. Bray Wyat

Other names scheduled for the show include Ric Flair, The New Day, Kane, The Dudley Boyz, The Usos, Rusev, Ryback, The Miz and The Wyatt Family.

AJ Styles was interviewed by Michael Cole for this week’s WWE.com sit-down interview. Here are some highlights:

– When asked if he ever expected to wind up in WWE, Styles said, “It’s nuts.” Fans can’t believe it and he can’t either. He took the long route to get here.

– In response to “Why now?” AJ said it’s all about timing. Styles said he wasn’t ready to join WWE when WCW was purchased and his contract wasn’t picked up. He had to go through everything since then in order to be ready for his current WWE run.

– Cole said AJ is in now his prime after getting experience all over the world. They spoke about his Royal Rumble debut. AJ was worried nobody would know who he was. He was in his own bubble wrestling around the world and had no idea if fans in the “WWE bubble” would know who he was. He said the reaction was so wild he could have melted.

– They spoke about AJ’s feud with Chris Jericho. AJ said their stories are very similar, which is why they make a good tag team.

– When asked about the biggest difference about WWE compared to everywhere else he’s worked, Styles said, “Catering!” He said ‘the grass actually is greener’ here and feels like he’s finally made it to the big leagues. Everything is so professional in WWE and he immediately felt comfortable int he WWE locker room.

Check out the full interview here:

– WWEShop.com is now selling AJ Styles replica gloves.

– WWE Diva Paige will be attending Portland Comic Con this Saturday. For more information, visit WizardWorld.com.

– Kurt Angle will be appearing on tonight’s episode of Duck Dynasty on A&E.

– Actor Stephen Amell is selling his Slammy Award to raise money for Elijah Mainville (aka “Drax Shadow”), an 8-year old child battling Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer. Donate $5 (or more!) to this GoFundMe Campaign and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win the Slammy.

WWE will be in the house at the Moda Center in Portland, OR tonight to tape this week’s episode of SmackDown. The episode will air this Thursday at 8PM ET on the USA Network.

Here’s what’s scheduled for tonight’s taping:

– Chris Jericho will wrestle AJ Styles in a rematch.

– Brock Lesnar will be making an appearance.

– The fallout from Monday’s RAW.

– There will likely be at least one more match added to WWE’s Fastlane PPV.

Other Superstars advertised to appear include Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Big Show, Bray Wyatt and more. We will have full results from tonight’s taping later tonight.

https://youtu.be/ccKowGpp4mk

AJ Styles recently spoke with our friend Ryan Carse of The Tag Rope, a quarterly pro wrestling magazine. The Phenominal One spoke about a wide range of topics, including his time wrestling in Japan, early memories of breaking onto the independent circuit, thoughts on Shinsuke Nakamura and much more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Returning to the independent circuit after leaving TNA:

“I tell you what’s liberating, is the fact that you were able to bet on yourself, and it paid off. A lot of people wouldn’t do that, there’s a lot of chance you’re taking when you do something like that but it’s very liberating to feel like, ‘Okay, I did that, and I did it all on my own, and I created a new AJ Styles and separated myself from something that people only knew me as TNA AJ Styles’. Now they knew me as Bullet Club AJ Styles, which is hard to do and I was very happy that I was able to do that.”

The most important thing he learned in Japan:

“Just because people weren’t making a lot of noise doesn’t mean they weren’t paying attention. The Japan crowds are very different from the UK and American crowds; they’re really paying attention, watching and loving professional wrestling for what it is. The pure sport that it is. You gotta love that. There’s a lot of respect in Japan and you don’t realise it and first, but then you just really love it once you get to know what’s going on.”

Which Japanese wrestler he learned the most from:

“Wrestling [Hiroshi] Tanahashi, I really feel like that I learned just because I don’t see what’s going on, doesn’t mean he doesn’t. Sometimes, I don’t feel the crowd or I don’t see them so I can’t see the reactions because I’m in a hold or he’s in a hold. But there was a time when I had him in a Calf Killer for what seemed like, ‘Oh man, this is too long’, but he saw something I didn’t, and literally we had people crying in the front row.

Shinsuke Nakamura:

“First of all, Shinsuke’s awesome. He’s his own wrestler, there’s nobody like him, he’s very unorthodox but he’s his own man. You won’t see another wrestler and go, ‘Shinsuke copied him’, that’s not it. If anything, you could say he does a little Michael Jackson stuff, which makes him so different from everybody else, he’s flamboyant; this guy has all the tricks of the trade. At the same time, he will kick your head off.”

AJ Styles was Chris Jericho’s guest on the latest Talk is Jericho podcast over at  PodcastOne.com. During the discussion, Styles revealed the first encounter he had with Vince McMahon, where they talked about how he would be portrayed on WWE television. Styles said,

“Him and I did sit down and talk and we talked about this character. I know this character who he’s talking about because I was [a] heel. This guy whose had to fight for everything.”

“The character that he explained to me is very close, very similar to [the guy I am]. He brought it up ‘this is the way you need to be. You’re not the tallest guy, you’re not the biggest guy, but you’re a pit bull.’ I know that guy, I could be that guy.”

Styles also revealed that he found out he would be in the Royal Rumble match just days before the event.

You can listen to the full podcast here.

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are the highlights of what JR wrote about:

Is AJ Styles Too Small To Draw Money In WWE?

“Anyone who thinks that talents like AJ Styles are too small to draw big money are fooling themselves and are truly living in the enhanced 80’s. Or, they’ve never had their ass whipped by a smaller guy especially amateur wrestlers who are under 200 pounds. Stars are not judged by pounds and inches but by talent, charisma and athleticism.”

Sunny Side Up:

“Vivid Video has announced that Tammy Stych’s adult film is available at their website plus Tammy has an autobiography coming out in the next few days. I will have Tammy on our Podcast in the coming weeks.”

WWE Fastlane Main Event:

“With three fan favorites in the main event of Fast Lane it’s obvious that at least one of them will be booed. Might be a long night in the uniquely booked match involving Reigns, Lesnar and Ambrose. Feels like it will be a challenging night for Mr Reigns. It’s baffling that Roman isn’t cast as a villain but you already knew that, right?”

After making his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble in January, AJ Styles already has his first Madison Square Garden appearance booked. TheGarden.com is advertising that Styles will appear at WWE’s live event at MSG on March 25th. His opponent hasn’t been announced.

Related: Chris Jericho Speaks On AJ Styles In WWE: “He’s Going To Be Over Big Time”

Here’s what’s currently being advertised for the 3/25 live event:

– Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus (with Triple H).

– 30-minute Iron Man match for the Intercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens.

– U.S. Title: Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio.

– Big Show vs. Bray Wyatt.

Names also scheduled to appear at the event include AJ Styles, Ric Flair, New Day, The Dudleys, The Usos, Rusev, Ryback, The Wyatts, and The Miz.

Who do you think AJ should wrestle at Madison Square Garden? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

On episode 216 of his podcast, Jericho Spoke spoke at length about AJ Styles making his debut in WWE at the Royal Rumble. Jericho talked about when he first saw AJ enter the dressing room that day.

“I think the big buzz of the night and one of the big, huge surprises was the debut of AJ Styles in the WWE, which was a huge, huge get for us. We’ve been waiting to have him for a long time,” Jericho said. “One of the hottest free agents in the world today finally in the WWE and it was really cool because in the first night, in the Rumble, I came in the ring. He and [Roman] Reigns were the only ones in there. All three of us just kind of stood there and it was a really good buzz.”

Jericho added, “when he [came] into the dressing room [prior to the Royal Rumble], I felt a little bit, not bad for him, but I understood what he was going through because he shows up there when we’re having the meeting for the Royal Rumble, because he was probably hiding all day or whatever it was, and he comes into the meeting and he knows some people, but he’s standing in the back and kind of being quiet and doesn’t want to step on anybody’s toes.”

Jericho says he was surprised by being booked in a match with Styles the next night on RAW. He had previously stated that it was Vince McMahon’s idea to put them in the ring together on Monday.

“We worked the next night on RAW, which was another surprise. And when it was pitched to me, it was pitched to me one way and then I had an idea to kind of go another way, so, hopefully, if things keep going the way we hope, you might see another Jericho/Styles match, so we’ll see.” Jericho continued, “I was really happy with [the match]. It was fun. It was fun to get in there with a new guy and kind of suss each other out a little bit. And now, it will only get bigger and more intense as we go forward.”

Jericho predicted a bright future for the former TNA World Champion in WWE. Jericho said that in two nights with WWE, more people who know AJ Styles is than they did for the last 15 years.

“I have no doubt that AJ Styles is going to be over big time in the WWE. He already is, just from his fans that he [has] got, but there [are] a lot of people who have never heard of AJ Styles and don’t know who he is or what he brings to the table. And at the Royal Rumble, we let them know a little bit and we let them know a little bit more on RAW. I love that people were like, ‘Jericho said, ‘welcome to the big leagues, kid’. He [has] been in TNA.’ Listen, I agree. He [has] been all over the world, but the WWE is the big leagues! That’s the truth. It’s not being arrogant or being dismissive of his past, but the WWE is the big leagues. It’s where everybody wants to be if you’re in the [professional] wrestling business. I don’t care what you say. Everybody wants to be in the WWE because this is the big leagues. This is the big time. The biggest pro wrestling company in the world, ever, in front of the biggest stage, the biggest crowds, the most worldwide influence. You go from being the biggest worldwide independent star and in two nights, more people know who AJ Styles is right now than they did for the entire 15 years of his career up to it, so that’s not demeaning. That’s the truth, and if you don’t like it, you’re just living in dreamland because nothing beats being in the WWE.”

Related: Details On AJ Styles’ First WWE Feud

When a fan tweeted on Tuesday thanking Triple H for making the Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles match on RAW, Jericho replied to correct him. According to Jericho, it was none other than Vince McMahon’s idea to put him in the ring with Styles.

based @TripleH gave us @AJStylesOrg vs @IAmJericho and @LuchaElRey season 2 debuts tomorrow. The wrestling gods are smiling upon us all

— #BROKEN Mr. Lostman (@infinityxheart) January 26, 2016

Actually @VinceMcMahon gave you that match :) https://t.co/X3w65I0aM3

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) January 27, 2016

Despite reports of Triple H assuming more control behind-the-scenes in WWE, back in October we reported that Vince McMahon had begun micro-managing the company more. Declining RAW ratings reportedly influenced Vince’s decision to begin overseeing all aspects of the company more than he had been previously.

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted the following on Facebook about AJ Styles joining WWE. Foley is impressed at what he’s seen so far and ponders what could be in store for the former TNA & IWGP champion at WrestleMania 32.

– NXT Champion Finn Balor took a photo with Triple H backstage after the Royal Rumble and congratulated him on his big title win:

Congratulations @TripleH ..Very proud pic.twitter.com/FJ7hnx3Muu

— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) January 25, 2016

– Damien Sandow thanked fans for the huge crowd reaction he got during his match on the Royal Rumble Kickoff show:

https://twitter.com/TheDamienSandow/status/691425839771193344

– WWE has released the following ‘unseen footage’ of AJ Styles’ debut in the Royal Rumble:

– Here’s a look Triple H’s new side-plates on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship:

AJ Styles had an impressive showing during Sunday night’s WWE Royal Rumble match before getting tossed out by Kevin Owens. This was the kickoff to a Styles-Owens feud, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

WWE.com has a feature looking at Styles’ arrival, calling him a game-changer. While touting his track record, there was conveniently no mention of TNA. “After conquering the independent circuit and Japan, A.J. Styles wants to show WWE why he’s so phenomenal. Hold on tight.”

WWEShop.com is selling new AJ Styles t-shirts, with many sizes currently unavailable due to strong sales.

Styles tweeted the following during the Rumble PPV:

Yeah…..WWE!

— AJ Styles (@AJStylesOrg) January 25, 2016

WWE filmed an interview with AJ Styles prior to the Royal Rumble began on Sunday. Shortly after he arrived at the Amway Center in Orlando, Styles answered some questions for WWE.com in a video that was released after his surprise entrance in the 30-man battle royal.

Related: AJ Styles’ Management Said TNA Lied About Contract Situation

Styles is scheduled to be backstage at Monday’s RAW, and WWE.com teased that he may appear on the show, writing: “Following his successful and jaw-dropping Royal Rumble Match appearance, might the worldwide sensation emerge once again on Raw?”

You can watch the video of AJ Styles’ debut here.

Related: WWE Royal Rumble 2016 Results

After lots of speculation, the rumors turned out to be true and AJ Styles has made his official WWE debut. Styles was a surprise entrant in the 30-man Royal Rumble match on Sunday. He entered the match as the #3 entrant, and was eventually eliminated by Kevin Owens. Owens yelled “welcome to WWE” at Styles before throwing him over the top rope. The crowd was chanting “AJ Styles” as he was walked to the back by a ref.

Styles is expected to be backstage at Monday’s RAW. There’s no word on if he’ll appear on the show as of this writing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMQogEkyUL8

Related: WWE Royal Rumble 2016 Results

While there’s still no solid word on when his actual debut will be, AJ Styles has arrived backstage at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. This confirms previous reports that Styles would at the very least be backstage for The Royal Rumble. Styles arrived at the arena on Sunday afternoon.

Styles is also expected to be backstage at Monday’s RAW. There’s no word on if any of the other Bullet Club members rumored to join WWE are in the house or not.

Stick with us for ongoing Royal Rumble coverage all day and night right here on SEScoops.com.

Saturday marked AJ Styles’ send off from Ring Of Honor wrestling. At their live event in Duluth, GA, Styles cut a promo about his time in ROH before the show actually started.

https://twitter.com/craighermit/status/691095005696540672

Later after the main event, Styles, Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, and The Young Bucks all hit the ring for a special moment. The five stars met in the middle of the ring and embraced, as you can see in the below video from Matt Jackson.

https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/691124641105100800

Styles will be backstage at the Royal Rumble tonight. We’ll have live play-by-play coverage of the 2016 Royal Rumble right here on SEScoops.com tonight.

Related: Final Card For The 2016 WWE Royal Rumble

Bill Behrens has worn many hats in the wrestling business for at least two decades, from television syndicator to promoter to booking agent to management to legal representation. He currently serves as those last three for AJ Styles (real name Allen Jones). In light of TNA’s statement claiming that Styles (as well as Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows) backed out of signed agreements to join the promotion, Behrens issued the following statement to PWInsider.com:

No contract was ever finalized nor signed by the parties.

That I would need to be involved in the contract process was known by TNA prior to my involvement and understood by them.

TNA and its 1st lawyer did not present in a timely fashion a contract that accurately reflected previous discussions at all. That created great concern tied to past experiences. In that time and prior there was other interest and there were other firm offers on the table and other discussions.

TNA was aware of other interest and various conflicts. TNA was aware a final contract was required. It was creating that contract and controlled that timetable. Too much time passed early on. Other things came into play. No contract was ever finalized with TNA.

To suggest I make any decision for my clients is to misunderstand my role and diminish the role each talent has in making their own decisions, and insults the talent in the process.

The statement came following PWInsider’s lengthy report on the matter from last night, where Mike Johnson outlined the basics of the situation:

TNA badly wanted Styles back, with the feeling that his departure badly damaged the the company since he was their big home-grown star a la Sting in WCW. They started talking in November, and Styles brought up the possibility of Gallows and Anderson also coming in. His Bullet Club stablemates were unhappy over their split of the Bullet Club merchandise profits with New Japan Pro Wrestling and looking for a change of scenery. The trio met with Dixie Carter, John Gaburick, and other TNA staff at Carter’s house on December 14th and the TNA side felt the meeting went great, with a plan in place for a surprise Styles return in a pretape on the Pop TV debut show. From there, when the long form contracts were to be finalized, TNA took their time (and were slowed down by the holidays), a better offer came in (presumably from WWE), and the wrestlers decided not to make the deal.

(So yes, it looks like this may have had little to do with WWE raiding NJPW. It just looked that way with Shinsuke Nakamura also leaving and Mauro Ranallo being tapped as the new voice of SmackDown.)

Relevant. pic.twitter.com/ojb9Obc3aK

— The Tag Rope (@tagropemag) January 22, 2016

Exactly what was signed or agreed to is where Johnson’s version and the other stories going around start to conflict with each other. The TNA side is clearly swearing that Styles and company signed something, but if they did, it wasn’t their actual contract, as noted by Behrens in his statement. From there, accounts include:

• That they “didn’t sign sh*t” (Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer in a forum post that Eric quoted earlier).
• “No contract was ever signed or finalized by any of the parties” (The Fight Network citing Styles’ management, presumably Behrens).
• “No formal contract was ever signed” (Pro Wrestling Sheet citing a rep for the wrestlers; again, one would think that was Behrens).

The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. One person with knowledge of the situation posited to me that if they did sign anything, it was nothing that would be legally binding, which fits with TNA issuing the statement without taking or even threatening legal action. Johnson’s article does include the TNA claim that Styles was sent plane tickets to go to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, but your mileage may vary if that actually proves anything.

TNA issued a statement on Friday claiming that AJ Styles, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson had backed out of signed contracts with them, and now, the plot thickens. Dave Meltzer of WrestlingObserver.com reported this weekend that the three wrestlers “didn’t sign sh*t” with TNA. “In the case of Anderson,” Meltzer continued, “TNA opened itself up to a [contract] tampering lawsuit with New Japan.”

Anderson’s NJPW contract reportedly expires next week, so it would be impossible for Anderson to sign with TNA without contract tampering by TNA.

Related: TNA Issues Statement Claiming AJ Styles, Doc Gallows, & Karl Anderson Backed Out Of A Signed Deal

At least one of the three wrestlers may have merely used TNA to drive up their price for a WWE contract. “One of the three for sure, if not all three, were not looking at TNA for leverage for WWE,” Meltzer reported, “and it was WWE going to them after hearing they may go to TNA and making a better offer.”

There is speculation that TNA’s legal threat may be an attempt to “scare” WWE into not going through with plans for AJ, Gallows, and/or Anderson. Styles is expected to be backstage at the Royal Rumble on Sunday.

Related: The Latest On AJ Styles To WWE, Potential Spoilers

Note: Since TNA’s website has been going down, you can also try Google Cache and Archive.is mirrors of their statement on this matter.

TNA has just made one of the strangest moves in company history. Think of the ground that covers. A little while ago, they posted a statement on their website saying that AJ Styles (real name Allen Jones), Doc Gallows (real name Drew Hankinson), and Karl Anderson (real name Chad Allegra) had committed verbally and in writing to signing to TNA in December, though they hadn’t signed final contracts yet. According to TNA, this happened after a meeting at Dixie Carter’s Nashville, Tennessee home on December 14th where, and afterwards, merchandise was designed on top of plane tickets being mailed. The claim is that this all fell apart over the Christmas holiday, when the wrestlers broke off communication before signing their long-form agreements. According to the statement, “AJ’s lawyer contacted TNA and stated the wrestlers had changed their mind and would not be honoring their commitment to TNA.”

The initial reaction I’ve seen seems to be that TNA, having taken this tact and not threatening legal action in the statement is significant. Why? It comes off like they don’t have confidence in being able to take legal action against Styles et al or the promotion they’re signing with (presumably WWE). On top of that, Anderson/Allegra was still under contract to New Japan Pro Wrestling while all of this was going on, which seems like it might not be the best thing to admit publicly. Either way, unless TNA is simultaneously serving the wrestlers and their destination promotion (again, presumably WWE) with legal action, it seems like something is missing from their version of the story.

It’s worth noting that in 2012, TNA sued former talent relations coordinator Brian Wittenstein as well as World Wrestling Entertainment after WWE hired him and, unsolicited, he offered up a file of TNA contract information. In the complaint, TNA said that “The disclosure exposes TNA to potential liability with respect to its contract — WWE knows the details of TNA’s contractual relationships with its wrestling talent, which could allow WWE to place itself in the right place, at the right time, with an offer to TNA’s talent at just the right place.”

It was alleged that Ric Flair tried to back out of his TNA contract right after Wittenstein gave the information to WWE, but also that WWE quickly told TNA what happened. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said at the time that “Our reaction is that no good deed ever goes unpunished. What the WWE did here is what you would hope any company would do in these circumstances it found itself in.” TNA dropped the lawsuit in 2012, but as it was going on, everyone in WWE treated TNA talent as radioactive, with Gerald Brisco reportedly being told he couldn’t even visit his son Wes (a TNA wrestler) in the hospital.

More on this story as it develops…

John Cena posted an old photo of AJ Styles on his Instagram on Wednesday, and on Thursday, the former TNA champ replied. AJ posted a vintage picture of Cena with spiked hair on his Instagram, with no caption, just like Cena’s post.

Styles is booked to make his “final appearance” for Ring of Honor this Saturday in Duluth, GA, then will reportedly travel to Orlando where WWE is hosting the Royal Rumble on Sunday. You can get the latest details and possible spoilers on AJ Styles right here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAz9RWNMZte/

Here’s Cena’s post from Wednesday:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAwoS4qmKMg/

Do you think AJ will debut at the Royal Rumble on Sunday? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ0sGf8F3Tk

AJ Styles was interviewed while in the UK, and when asked about the possibility of joining WWE, here’s what he had to say:

“I’m always going to do what’s best for my family. That’s my first priority, my job is to take care of them, anyway that I can and wherever that business takes me that helps them then that’s where I’ll go,” Styles told The Tag Rope.

Styles said it was a blessing in disguise that WWE didn’t sign him after WCW was acquired in 2001. Styles feels he is now in his prime, saying “I’ve fallen in love with everything about pro wrestling.”

“To me the moves are easy, it’s the little things in between the moves that make the difference,” the former TNA champ said. “I wasn’t ready to be in WWF at the time, it was great going back to the indies [after WCW] and really learning. I had learned so much going to Ring of Honor. It was the best thing that could have happened.

“The truth of the matter is,” Styles continued, “guys don’t get very good until they’re in their 30’s. It’s that experience you need in your 20’s to be a star in your 30’s, and when you’re in your 30’s you finally get it. It’s all about experience.

“It’s not that I don’t do some of the moves I used it, I just do them at the right time.”

Styles is expected to sign with WWE and make his debut in the near future.

Related: The Latest On AJ Styles To WWE, Potential Spoilers

If you haven’t heard by now, AJ Styles is probably headed to WWE! It’s been an exciting few weeks ever since Dave Meltzer news broke the news, with the WWE website and even John Cena getting on board the hype train.

On Wednesday, Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that AJ Styles is scheduled to begin working for WWE over the coming week. He will be at Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view as well as Monday’s RAW from Miami and Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings from Tampa.

Styles has been wrapping up his final independent appearances over the past few weeks, dropping Revolution Pro’s championship last weekend and telling fans at that show that he’s ready to kick some ass in the Royal Rumble if WWE has a spot available for him. It was also last weekend that PWTorch.com reported that WWE made Styles a “blow-away” offer that could not be matched by NJPW, ROH or TNA.

Styles will be making a final appearance for Ring of Honor on Saturday night from Duluth, GA where he’ll be signing autographs. The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that at this time, ROH is not allowed to air footage of Styles on their weekly show on Comet. This is similar to Samoa Joe being allowed to make a final non-televised appearance for ROH before joining NXT and a sign that AJ Styles’ WWE contract has either been signed or agreed to.

Whether he appears in the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant (the original plan, before it got out) or debuts the following night on RAW, Styles will joining the main roster without having to spend time in NXT.

With AJ Styles rumored to be making his WWE debut in the near future, John Cena  posted a photo Styles on Instagram this morning. WWE.com has even published an article making note of Cena’s cryptic post, further fueling speculation that the Phenomenal one is WWE-bound.

Styles will be mkaing his “final appearance” for Ring of Honor this Saturday in Duluth, GA, the night before the Royal Rumble.

Click here for the latest details on when AJ Styles is expected to debut in WWE.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAwoS4qmKMg/

Ring of Honor has announced that AJ Styles will be having his “send off” from the company at this weekend’sWinter Warriors live event in Duluth, GA. The event takes place January 23rd, the night before WWE’s Royal Rumble.

“The best wrestling on the planet, Ring of Honor, will bring another great night of action to the Atlanta area on Saturday, January 23rd, 2016. We will be making our debut at the Infinite Energy Center (Formerly the Gwinnett Center) with a 7:30PM bell time!

In addition to the hard-hitting, fast-paced professional wrestling that only ROH showcases, fans in Duluth with have an opportunity to send off ROH Legend and hometown star “The Phenomenal One” AJ STYLES!

Styles will be appearing live in Duluth to sign autographs and take photos with the BEST FANS ON THE PLANET! A cornerstone of ROH since its inception in 2002, Gainesville, GA’s Styles has become one of the most accomplished stars in professional wrestling, capturing a litany of major titles including, most recently, the IWGP World Championship! Don’t miss your chance to meet and greet this ROH Legend at his LAST ROH APPEARANCE – you just don’t know where you may see him next!”

The show will feature talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Matt Jackson challenging Jay Lethal for the ROH World Championship, Nick Jackson challenging Roderick Strong for the ROH TV championship and the Bullet Club challenging ROH Tag Team champs War Machine. For more information, visit ROHWrestling.com.

Related: Plans For AJ Styles WWE Debut & His Status For The Royal Rumble