AJ Styles has questioned whether he is a ‘WWE guy.’
When AJ Styles signed with WWE in 2016, he was already a veteran pro-wrestler, known around the world for his runs in the likes of TNA, ROH, and NJPW. While he went on to spend the last decade of his career in WWE before his retirement at the 2016 Royal Rumble, he still isn’t sure if he’s truly a ‘WWE guy.’
In a new interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Styles discussed his legacy when the subject of his WWE status came up.
“I don’t know. Is that up to me? Or is that up to the fans? Does it bother me? Maybe there isn’t one. I think about this all the time: Was I even a WWE guy? Yes, I was there, and I participated in WWE. I did all these great things in 10 years, which is amazing, but you never really see AJ Styles on some of the greatest WWE stars and stuff like that, and I get it. I was in TNA, I was in New Japan. I’m not necessarily a WWE guy.”
AJ Styles Doesn’t Think He Was Originally Planned For John Cena’s Farewell Tour
Later in the interview, Styles looked back on his last match with John Cena at the 2025 edition of Crown Jewel in Australia. The bout is seen by many as the best of Cena’s farewell tour, but the Phenomenal One doesn’t think it was part of the original plan.
“Well, it was the opportunity to throw back to every guy that we ever wrestled that meant a lot to us, and that’s all it was. I mean, we didn’t have much of a story, so we had to tell one in the ring. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to wrestle him. I don’t care what anybody says. I don’t know who called it, but I know that I wasn’t in the picture. Something else needed to happen. I don’t know what that was, someone’s gonna have to tell that story, because I don’t know. I’m just positive that I wasn’t the guy that was supposed to wrestle him.”
Styles says there was no talk of him being one of Cena’s last opponents earlier in the year, and said it was one of those times that he didn’t feel like he was a ‘WWE guy.’
“Nothing, never a talk of me having a match with John. Listen, I just assume I’m not that guy. I’m not that guy. Sometimes I feel like even though I’ve been in WWE for 10 years, I’m not a WWE guy. So, and that was just one of those times.”
AJ Styles has remained in WWE following his in-ring retirement, now working backstage as a producer and talent scout.
