With AJ Styles’ in-ring career over in WWE, it has emerged that AEW previously wanted to sign the star at a time when his contract was up.
WWE Royal Rumble in January of this year saw AJ Styles bring his career as an in-ring competitor to a close with a loss to GUNTHER.
Styles remains under contract with WWE, with his focus now on a backstage role that will see him work with talent.
With previous rumors that Styles could be AEW-bound, Chris Jericho has revealed that there were efforts to make that a reality.
Speaking to GamesHub, Jericho was asked if Styles could be a good fit for AEW, revealing that the Tony Khan-led company were interested, saying:
“There was a time when we were going after him when his contract was up. Could he be a good fit? Of course he would be.”
It wouldn’t be specified as to when this approach was made, aside from after his WWE contract was up, or how far along it actually got.
Jericho would go on to praise Styles’ abilities, but noted that he had been in the WWE system for “a long time”, stating:
“AJ’s a great performer and a great guy. But there is something to be said for the fact that when you’ve worked in the Vince McMahon system for a long time, you think differently. There are ways WWE runs their company, and there are ways AEW runs theirs.
“I’m not going to speak for AJ, but I don’t know why you’d retire in one place and then immediately go somewhere else. That said, I’m sure it’s always a possibility.”
With his own retirement taking place last year, John Cena would also share an insight into a conversation with AJ Styles about the reason The Phenomenal One was calling time on his career.
With his in-ring career now over, AJ Styles is set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2026,
Retirement Isn’t The End In Wrestling
Should he choose to lace up his boots again, AJ Styles wouldn’t be the first star to do a u-turn on their retirement.
Ric Flair competed in his first retirement match, losing to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 in 2008, only to return during Hulk Hogan’s tour of Australia the following year, going on to compete in TNA Wrestling until a second retirement match, this time against Sting, in 2011.
That wouldn’t be the end for the veteran, who went on to retire once more at Ric Flair’s Last Match, teaming with Andrade El Idolo in a victory over Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett in July 2022.
While it remains to be seen if Flair could lace up his boots one more time, it appears that Styles, from Cena’s comments referenced earlier, is aware of his future, noting “I’m already overstaying my physical welcome.”
That said, Karl Anderson has suggested that Styles may just need a break before coming back, believing that “the itch is always gonna come back”.
With the deal with Saudi Arabia leading to WWE occasionally pulling out all the stops for events in the Kingdom, there’s a chance that Styles could make a return there. After all, Shawn Michaels returned following the Streak vs Career loss to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 in 2010. reforming D-Generation X with Triple H in a victory over The Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel in 2018.
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