10 Dick Moves Promoters Used To Improve Wrestlers' Performances
5. Dismissing AJ Styles' Wrestling Ability
AJ Styles revealed that Vince McMahon had implied he was "nothing special" between the ropes went they first met.
This was patently absurd of course, but The Chairman was chasing something else from the 'Phenomenal One' (and think about that for a second, he's coming in with that nickname and the first thing you do is tell him he's sh*t in the ring) beyond masterful psychological employment of eye-popping spots honed over a decade in the industry. Because of course he was.
Yet, it worked. It always does. Vince is the greatest worker of them all.
Styles took Vince's words and took to them as if he was being told the earth was flat. More than happy to prove himself all over again anyway, AJ searched for edges in his game still to be smoothened out, and evidently found them quickly enough to convince his boss that he was a sound and safe choice for WWE Championship glory.
Man-management is a key part of running something as complex as a wrestling company, but it takes some balls and brains alike to effectively tell one of the best wrestlers in the world that he's just okay. It sadly takes neither of either to think such an opinion must be proven wrong.