AEW Star Invites AJ Styles To Join: “We’re Open And Waiting”
AJ Styles would be welcome in AEW, according to a former World Champion in the company.
At the WWE Royal Rumble in Riyadh, AJ Styles lost to Gunther in a Retirement Match, where Styles said he would retire as a wrestler if he lost. It was 10 years after Styles debuted in WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble.
Styles is 48 (he’ll turn 49 in June) and has repeatedly said he didn’t want to hang around too long as a wrestler whose skills were diminishing. As Styles showed in the two matches with Gunther and other matches he had over the last year, he was still performing at a high level in every match.
What was interesting about AJ’s retirement match loss is that he thought about taking off his gloves and leaving them in the ring, but he didn’t do it. Many wrestlers also leave their shoes/boots in the ring after they retire, like John Cena, Triple H, and others have done in the past, but Styles didn’t do that either. That led to speculation that Styles could wrestle again, and many people think AEW would be an option for him since there would be several dream matches there.
Swerve Strickland is a former AEW World Champion who is one of the top stars in the company. While speaking at Monopoly Events, Swerve spoke about AJ Styles’ influence and the posisblity of going to AEW.
“At this point, I think I’m becoming something that AJ Styles wants to compete against, instead. I’m pushing myself to be at the top of this game. I’m not chasing after anybody’s matches. I want those matches to chase after me. Happy for AJ, proud of AJ. He’s someone I would study endlessly, alongside Bryan Danielson and that era. Nigel (McGuinness), I looked up to those guys and watched those guys.
AJ has earned more than enough in his career to walk away from it or continue on and do something different and unique with the generation of guys he has curated and spawned. His influence spawned an AEW style. (Will) Ospreay, Seth Rollins, myself, Mike Bailey, we’ve all watched and studied AJ.
If he wants to take a chance to come to AEW, which he is more than capable and in great shape mentally, hopefully, and physically, from what I view, to compete with All Elite Wrestling. We’re all here, open and waiting if he decides to make that jump.” (h/t Fightful)
While Swerve’s idea sounds good to AEW fans, it’s unclear whether Styles is contractually able to leave WWE or if he wants to.
WWE Will Pay Tribute To AJ Styles On Monday Night Raw In Atlanta
AJ Styles is from Gainesville, Georgia, so it’s not a surprise that WWE wants to pay tribute to him since Raw is in Atlanta on February 23rd. It is expected that AJ’s family will be in attendance (he is married with four kids), along with many of his friends and also many members of the WWE roster, even people who aren’t normally on Raw.
Here’s what WWE is advertising for Raw.
- WWE pays tribute to AJ Styles
- Women’s Royal Rumble Winner Liv Morgan to make her WrestleMania decision this Monday
- CM Punk discusses his two title matches against Finn Bálor and Roman Reigns
- Brock Lesnar returns to Raw
- Jey Uso vs. “Original” El Grande Americano vs. Bronson Reed | Men’s Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifying Match
- Raquel Rodriguez vs. Iyo Sky vs. Kairi Sane | Women’s Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifying Match
- Maxxine Dupri takes on Nattie in highly personal showdown
Some fans think that the AJ Styles tribute on Raw could lead to another match at WrestleMania. Anything is possible in WWE, and we’ll find out on Raw in Atlanta.