Ariel Helwani meets: AJ Styles | His legacy in wrestling, looking back on TNA and what comes next

[@tristanedwards7302]

Whenever I think of Styles I think of TNA. He had an unbelievable run there. On the question of his 'best match' the obvious answers to me are against Kurt Angle in TNA, one of his matches with Christopher Daniels or the 3 way with Samoa Joe and Daniels at Unbreakable.

[@tsingh5883]

Agreed - I would also put in his cage match vs Abyss in there also.

[@wabwirewabwire8340]

That technical masterpiece against Bryan is up there too

[@AneesSarwar34]

The day AJ styles gets inducted into the TNA hall of fame, every true TNA/impact wrestling fan will cry, I know I will!

[@MrSamcro1976]

One of His best matches in my opinion that three-way match Joe vs Aj vs Daniels

[@Deyis8]

Yeah, he gave the WWE answer to that question

[@Immersed94]

AJ is undeniable. One of the absolute greats

[@davidmulligan7175]

Some even say phenomenal

[@drinny2214]

Indeed, he is a great actor and entertainer

[@virtuallimit8615]

He was better at Tna

[@1KQ_]

@@virtuallimit8615 to bad they tried to pay him less then he deserved.

[@gursharns91]

Amen

[@RenzoSupreme]

I just think his impact (no pun intended) is so legendary in the pro wrestling world , I have to appreciate him while we have him , cause those 2013-2018 years were something very special, across all brands and promotions.

[@jamiek9780]

I disagree with AJ at 2:45 regarding “getting more hype” on his debut entrance at the rumble. I always loved how casually he walked down to the ring, how he calmly took his vest off and walked into the ring. It was brilliant story telling, giving the viewer the reminder that while this is AJ Styles first WWE match, this is just another day on the job for him. He’s walking in on his first day as a veteran. As someone who never watched him in the indies but always heard about him, I had this immediate sense that Roman was in for a fight because AJ was no rookie.

[@noegallegos6722]

Hit the nail on the head

[@elusana]

great take on it

[@ashleyphillips543]

Great comment. 100% Remember him casually stretching out as he went up the steps, and with it being Roman on the other side of the ropes was the perfectly teased tension of 'Roman is about to bury the new guy' vs. 'AJ is stepping into this company exactly where he wants to be right now'. Don't think a Rumble was booked this well since.

[@suprasad]

There’s a reason why Taker picked him for the Graveyard Match 2 years ago. He’s a HOFer in at least 3 different promotions. MFing LEGEND.

[@beyourownhero3644]

And sadly the good brothers as well by association was takers last match.. of all people

[@MaestroJericho]

Wasn't he Randy Savage's last match as well.

[@armandogomez2677]

4: ROH,TNA,WWE,NWA maybe NJPW

[@kingaqua908]

@@MaestroJericho Yup him and Jeff Hardy were teaming with Randy Savage in his last match

[@schneideriwnl]

@@armandogomez2677 not maybe NJPW. The best AJ Styles was @ NJPW

[@omeraamirshahjee]

I had stopped watching WWE and I swear 2016 when AJ debuted I restarted watching and the year AJ was WWE champion was the best year of WWE personally for me. Truly phenomenal

[@sTsChronic420]

He needs to be champ 1 more time before he retires! 💯🔥🤘

[@kimlnne4007]

AJ Styles is such a cool guy. One of the main reasons that I watched TNA Impact was because of him. Sure hopes that he will get another WWE title run before he quits or retires.

[@navinmenon6931]

AJ was TNA. He was the heart and soul of that company. For me, even at that time, he was one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Right up there with the legends of the business, and he achieved that praise even before he stepped foot in WWE.

[@MeNoSpeakJibberish]

AJ was TNA's one man highlight reel for years and someone that made TNA worth watching. He would do amazing things in the ring youve never seen before and made it look so easy. Simply phenomenal Such a shame we never saw AJ have a match with HBK before he got too old. That could have been an all time classic

[@FRGNinthebuilding]

Great interview. AJ Styles is a legend

[@johnytwotimes4072]

Ariel provides a far more intimate and interesting approach to Wrestling Interviews that is 99% better than the others and I enjoyed this immensely. I am hoping that Edge's recent WrestleMania Open Challenge Promo leads to the match between him and AJ🙏 It's one of my favorite matches ever.. It is sentimental for me because I got my Mom (who recently passed to sit and watch that match between AJ and Cena and not only did she actually enjoy it and not walk away thinking that wrestling was too silly, she was on the edge of her seat for every near fall. The kickout after the SUPER AA was especially great!!!

[@MaestroJericho]

I like how it came around. Leaving TNA after getting lowballed to breaching out in Japan, being Undertaker's last match, and supposedly getting over $3m a year+travel expenses paid for with his new deal.

[@jamesprez7296]

Just of the top of my head without even having to think about it twice, I can say this with absolute certainty: AJ Styles is easily TOP 5 all time when it comes to ring ability and that's more of an understatement then an overstatement.

[@timothycrosby4251]

Easily

[@AdityaRaj-tx8bi]

THE FACT HE JUST SAID THAT HE WANTED TO WORK WOTH EDGE AND TODAY THE FEUD B/W HIM AND EDGE STARTED AM JUST HYPED 😭❤AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON WANTED THAT TO HAPPEN!!😭

[@juancara5188]

AJ is one of my favorites of all time. I follow him since he was in TNA

[@splatentertainment7551]

I completely agree with AJ about that Summerslam match, one of my favorite matches of both men and it was just a classic, that’s the match I’ve probably showed people or told people to watch the most when trying to introduce them to WWE or AJ Styles, it’s a great match in my opinion.

[@messigoat9815]

Everytime i think about Aj the first thing comes up to my mind is RESPECT

[@juancara5188]

The triple threat matches AJ had with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels were out of this 🌎. Amazing matches. They put it all in those matches.

[@codywhitaker800]

AJ truly is phenomenal (no pun intended) and can put on some stellar matches. He needs one more good main event run because we all know he has it in him. He's 44 and has a few more good years left in the tank I imagine.

[@ChrisR91]

The comparison with Fedor is just perfect. We also have to remember that AJ Styles was in WCW and did the tryouts for WWE in 2001 if I remember (there is a footage of his promo somewhere). AJ Styles is like Sting, easily one of the best wrestlers of all time without being in the WWE. His debut in WWE was easily one of the best moments in WWE history, after Sting debut, CM Punk at MITB Chicago and AJ Style 1st face-off with Cena. Especially it came at the perfect time where WWE was doing bad after CM Punk's departure and even if Daniel Bryan was there, I felt like he has been under-used. I hope AJ Styles comes back in the WWE world title championship picture. Bonus: he is in my top 5 of my favourite wrestlers and seeing him live in Montreal, front row before the pandemic on Raw was epic !

[@kamrankhandevil]

More like Mike Chandler, coz Fedor hever ended up in UFC..

[@ChrisR91]

@@kamrankhandevil I understand the point but in terms of accomplishments, Fedor went and won titles in many major organizations just like AJ Styles while Chandler just went in Strikeforce and Bellator, and only won the Bellator championship.

[@iamthurnis745]

AJ is the reason I fell in love with TNA, he was my guy. in hindsight, without him, Joe, Daniels, that whole X-Division, we don’t have the style of wrestling that we do now.

[@MJRYT19]

Phenomenal AJ Styles. Legend 🔥

[@rendigica1566]

We didnt have TNA growing up in NZ, had no way to watch it but AJ and Samoa Joe were the ones we all knew, how in the hell could we even know about them and couldnt even watch TNA? Because they were so great. I legit knew them because they were two of the very best not only in TNA but the entire industry

[@arthurcurry2003]

Great interview. AJ Styles is one of the greats for sure.

[@kingsleyo]

TNA AJ styles was out of this world WWE got AJ styles after his prime years

[@ThaTruth223]

and his out of prime years is better than a lot of primes themselves

[@vent51177]

All of this is true. AJ Styles has been the best Wrestler in the world or at least #2 CONSISTENTLY for the last 20 years.

[@enlightenedeyes4790]

He is still amazing tho

[@arvindshastry1178]

AJ Styles still is an amazing in ring performer.

[@sammymorales6838]

AJ is one of the greatest of all time, he may be the greatest in ring wrestler and just a class act

[@arthurcurry2003]

he is the greatest imv

[@jackoneill7610]

Great to hear him talk about how he still gets excited by pro-wrestling. Truly one of the all-time greats. Maybe the greatest ever.

[@beyondxxl]

Such a humble dude

[@patrickboian8545]

How many wrestlers have been an absolute star in every company they've ever been in? TNA, New Japan, and WWE. He's in the ranks of Hogan and Flair tbh.

[@CeeTeeUSA]

AJ will certainly be one of the greatest talents in the wrestling industry. Just an all around talent, balanced..

[@tompent100]

ariel please dont stop these WWE interviews. they are some of the best interviews in professional wrestling and all the haters that complain need to be ignored!

[@lalberts]

The moment Styles walked into the rumble to face Roman was the moment that made him the greatest wrestler in the world.

[@Kulanath]

Why was this interview posted so late... After the Rumble? The interview is great... Ariel & AJ both OGs... Legends! Because its so late its a bummer! 😕

[@arpanrana8814]

To be great u don't need to be big its your passion that matter and AJ proved it in a area where size makes u different than everyone that's why his my inspiration

[@caelcooper8905]

Aj is an absolute legend

[@ArtOfIdan]

i was there at summerslam crying from joy when AJ won!

[@ryeonwrestling6248]

Can we take a moment to thank Terry Taylor for putting that good word in.

[@ItsJustOneGuy]

Seems like a really great guy very humble.

[@Raider4967]

Cena vs styles was epic at SummerSlam, the back n forth they were doing

[@AceLopez1]

Styles is one of the greats of all time. Hell, he was the Undertaker's last opponent. I am so glad Vince finally got him out of that dead end program with that big aloof Omos. Styles needs to be in the singles main event scene until he retires.

[@MaestroJericho]

He was involved in Randy Savages last match too back then. Insane

[@MrSportsUploader]

He’s so humble or he’s playing it off( I’m assuming the first). I think he’s obviously one of greatest to ever do it especially in the last 20 years. Many legends like Flair, Heyman(when he wasn’t mad at him), Undertaker and current superstars want to work with him at least one time before he/they retire.

[@ritchierich2793]

For a non WWE talent, he really has a prestige accolades as a talent.. He got their and won the worl title belt within less than a year into his debut.. Its accomplishments resume when it all set and done..

[@west_side_smiley831]

Undoubtedly one of the GOATS 💯

[@ImAdaptking]

Him coming to WWE so late held him back man. We needed AJ vs Shawn.

[@PineNut15]

The Goat of this generation!!!!

[@TeamLISkateboarding]

The greatest of the Modern era

[@AsimAli-qk1nt]

Respect to Helwani. Grown into a millionaire from struggling to make pays due, and still humble as fk

[@SohamShivoham]

GOAT In ring performer

[@Ff101891]

I think we need AJ Styles as the next guest on the Broken Skulls Sessions with SCSA.

[@armandogomez2677]

I could've sworn he did one already.

[@patrickboian8545]

@@armandogomez2677 He did one of the first ones in like 2016 or 2017.

[@joshmccloy3295]

Huge inspiration and Legend.

[@Deanaz09]

Aj styles in the bullet club love every minute of it and njpw

[@burglarboygaming7146]

I can honestly say I have had the privilege in watching aj since 2007 TNA follow him till WWE , true goat

[@mdptg1990]

No bullet club talk? That was the absolute peak of his career

[@ashwinnair4816]

AJ stlyes is my favorite wrestler

[@tammycornett7455]

AJ styles Monday WWE raw Tina Turner😊 ❤

[@theSuperviLLain_est]

His first match in NJPW he wins the IWGP Heavyweight Championship Within a year of WWE he becomes their Champion. AJ is the GOAT

[@Albertmupila]

AJ is an all time great 🔥‼️

[@rahrah5484]

Who can say Theyve been great at 3 promotions Roh impact and wwe One of the greats

[@PROPHYZ]

he's indeed simply phenomenal - one of my all time fav.

[@abdulkadir2396]

Would love AJ to win the royal rumble! That would be phenomenal! Watched him when TNA originally started living legend this guy. Shoutout to SamoaJoe as well my 2 favourites!

[@aneekkachhwaha]

The greatest the phenomenal AJ styles

[@cristyroo9399]

So he pretty much confirmed it s aj vs edge at wrestlemania cant wait!!

[@sangamsun9807]

❤️❤️❤️❤️Aj styles❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘😘😘

[@robertamanto6028]

I wish Aj would use his old TNA music in WWE, would be so cool

[@drevandamva]

His new japan run was my favorite. His tna run made him who he is. His wwe made him rich and popular to the ignorant fans. He’s done it all. Selfishly I want him in aew for his final run. If he wants to just get paid and travel good for him. I miss him in cool matches though

[@HR-yn8rb]

Been a fan of AJ since his TNA days....

[@ultramanCL]

He is Phenomenal

[@PAPITOFLOW6969]

AJ STYLES TRUE LEGEND THE GOAT

[@Robby_C]

Aj is a legit pro's pro.

[@davidmink6686]

The best of all time.

[@TheJDough1]

Man if only WWE didn’t write the history books. AJ was the best of his generation by far.

[@danielmelo7146]

A "Phenomenal" interview with one the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

[@Sasquatch10]

I saw vs Dean Ambrose in Manchester, great match. I hope i can see him in AEW before he retires.

[@matthewsmith8727]

he’s to good for aew

[@Sasquatch10]

@@matthewsmith8727 AEW has better wrestling and stories.

[@CANADIANSLOTSROLLER]

He is too loyal to ppl who made him better and wwe has done that and he will not move to aew cause him and Vince has a good relationship and has support from the locker room and very well liked.

[@sabarish2904]

AJ STYLES one of THE best

[@NoSnowFlakes1]

No question he's on the Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers from the 2000's.

[@pablocuneo4611]

I wish someone would interview AJ about if he’s ever interested in wrestling Punk again. That’s everyone’s dream match.

[@mikeyz1080]

That will never happen. They both dislike each other.. don't know if the hate started at roh or tna

[@wrestling4190]

AJ Styles After He’s Done Wrestling-15:53 AJ Styles On Omos-16:45

[@projectconsultant7174]

Edge vs AJ . Damn !

[@brandonwilson3222]

AJ is going against Edge at Mania. I can tell by the way AJ is speaking about it.

[@Femz9]

A combo I never thought I’d see lol

[@thatboyaintright]

Not surprised Vince really wanted to burry him. The odds were against him and he still succeeded.

[@mrmeme2917]

AJ is a vine guy ! He always saw him as a WWE Champ

[@jeffsdetectingchannel7230]

I'd like to see him get another world title run

[@REVAMPEDWRESTLING2K]

EDGE vs. STYLES @ MANIA !!!!

[@juancara5188]

It's true, he's one of the best

[@styles-omega-danielson7017]

Too bad AEW wasn’t around back in the mid 2010s. Would’ve been cool to see AJ have a run there too. But no doubt he’s had a legendary run and deserves to retire with WWE.

[@projectconsultant7174]

Ariel Helwani is gold.

[@eyelessnosea1413]

AJ is the Wolverine of wrestling

[@baselkhan3231]

Timestamps would be much appreciated. I see lots of interesting content on this channel, but it's an overwhelming amount of content for someone that just stumbled upon it.

[@HOA_Bossman]

AJ is top 3.

[@PinkSunglasses50]

aj is so cool so likeable so CUTE

[@abrarislam1193]

AJ vs Edge for WrestleMania...book it Vince

[@Phenomenal-or7gu]

I think at WrestleMania edge should fight Aj....... That is once in a lifetime show....... Eventually would steal the show..... Guaranteed.......

[@DavidLucas-oj6ju]

AJ STYLES is hands down one of the best wrestlers to come out of TNA WRESTLING along with SAMOA JOE

[@omeraamirshahjee]

No praise is too much for AJ Styles

[@Nobody_Fresh]

F'n finally, geez

[@TheBestEver-wd8jy]

Styles vs Rollins or Styles vs Edge at Mania

[@barisgumus5910]

I really want him to win a rumble man

[@Bigandy706]

Aj is #1

[@Jamie-kv9eg]

Legend

[@osmanov7783]

Phenomenal

[@timothycrosby4251]

How in the hell did the reaction he got at the rumble not resonate with Vince?