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AJ Styles Comments on WWE Releasing Gallows and Anderson: “It’s Devastating” and More

By Matthew Fowler • Published 17th April 2020
TJR Wrestling

World Wrestling Entertainment releasing hundreds of employees on Wednesday affected not only those who were let go but those who are still with the company as well. One of those who wrestlers that was secondarily affected by the releases was AJ Styles, who saw his close friends Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows be let go. The trio were known as The OC, a heel stable on Raw, but now that group is finished in WWE. The trio became friends when they were part of the Bullet Club stable in New Japan Pro Wrestling earlier in the decade. Styles went on his gaming channel on Mixer and addressed their releases.

“If you guys didn’t know, Gallows and Anderson, guys who are like my brothers were released yesterday, that one hurt really bad. The only way I know how to explain it is that these guys are my family and I couldn’t take care of my little brothers. That’s the way I feel about it, I’m the oldest and I’m supposed to take care of them. I didn’t manage to do that and I feel responsible in some weird way for them being released. It’s devastating. I don’t know any other way to explain it.”

“Those guys are with me all the time. We’re with each other all the time, and I’ve never felt more alone than yesterday. I don’t know when the next time is I’m gonna see them.”

Styles went on to give his thoughts on WWE being deemed “essential business.”

“With all the talk about WWE being essential television, I don’t know whether it is or it isn’t, but I know that I’m glad to be able to entertain. I’m glad to be able to still do my job. I still want to be able to do that.”

Styles admits that he doesn’t understand how people can complain about WWE still running and also complain about them releasing people at the same time.

“I don’t understand people who complain about it and then go on and bury the company for releasing people. You can’t have both. We gotta be able to work. If you don’t work, your business can’t make money.”

Thank you to prowrestlingsheet for the transcription.

Gallows and Anderson reportedly signed huge deals to stay in WWE last year when they were free agents. The Wrestling Observer reported in this week’s issue that they turned down initial offers from WWE and then agreed to deals that paid them $750,000 per year each. Their high salaries could be a reason why they were cut since WWE hasn’t been using them that much.

If you’re wondering about AJ’s contract status, he signed a new WWE deal in early 2019 that is expected to last a few more years. Styles has said that it’s likely his last full-time wrestling contract.

Anderson tweeted this video about a potential return to New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Matt’s Musings: Hopefully when this whole crisis is behind us, the Good Brothers can all be together once again although they might be moving on to New Japan where they have had a lot of success in the past.