10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About AJ Styles
8. He Didn't Necessarily Need WWE
Before signing on the dotted line in early-2016, Styles was loving life as a member of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling. On top of the world as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and having blistering battles with everyone from Kazuchika Okada to Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ had found his calling.
That's when WWE made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
It must have been in the back of AJ's head that he might not get another chance if he knocked WWE back a second time. Unlike in 2001/02, they weren't offering paltry money, and the dream of working WrestleMania was suddenly a realistic prospect. Styles, approaching his 40s, decided to sign even though he didn't need to.
Think about it: AJ was killing it in NJPW, and he could've taken lucrative indy bookings elsewhere to supplement that income. Had he not accepted WWE's deal, there's also a chance he'd still be riding high in Japan, or propping up Impact's roster.