Styles Reflects on his Journey
AJ Styles has bid Japan farewell.
At today’s WWE Supershow in Tokyo, Japan, AJ Styles gave an emotional speech.
CM Punk and Shinsuke Nakamura invited Styles back to the ring after their main event match. CM Punk and Shinsuke Nakamura beat Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker in the main event. Styles beat Kofi Kingston earlier in the evening.
Punk told the audience: “I wish I could speak fluent Japanese but I think a lot of you understand English. It is a privilege for me to be able to wrestle in front of what I feel is the greatest wrestling audience in the world: Japanese wrestling fans. It’s a little ironic, when I was a little boy and I fell in love with pro-wrestling all I ever wanted to do was go to Japan and I think a lot of the Japanese wrestlers, hey wanted to be American cowboys. They wanted to be Terry Funk so to me it’s very beautiful that I get to come to Tokyo and I get to share a ring with a legend like Shinsuke Nakamura.”
He then welcomed Styles back.
“There is somebody in the locker room that shares the feelings I have about Japan and the culture and the Japanese wrestling fan and tonight was more than likely the last time he will ever wrestle in Tokyo or in Japan as a whole,” he said.
A smiling Styles addressed the fans and Nakamura translated his speech.
“It should be me thanking you for everything you’ve done for AJ Styles, So, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t know where I would be without you. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be here in the WWE if it wasn’t for you,” he said simply.
In 2014, Styles joined NJPW. He ambushed IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and became the new leader of the Bullet Club faction. He would remain in Japan for two years before heading to WWE. Bullet Club dumped him as their leader in favour of Kenny Omega.
Styles told Tokyo Sports that he will be retiring “within the next year” and would like to transition to the role of coach and trainer for WWE.
