10 Hypothetical WWE Signings (And Whether They'd Have Succeeded Or Failed)
2. A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles is, without doubt, the biggest name in North American professional wrestling to have never made it big in WWE. He was offered a developmental deal at at one point, but it wasn’t worth the relocation and conflict with his family’s plans.
Instead, he ended up in ROH, and later in TNA and then in NJPW.
Success or Failure in WWE: Failure
WWE didn’t have much interest in him during the 2000s, but they changed their minds earlier this year, when it was speculated that some in WWE wanted to sign him. If they had, he’d most likely end up on NXT, since that’s the real wrestling show at this point, and many of the stars on that program look and wrestle like him.
While it would be nice to see Styles wrestling for WWE, it wouldn’t be a benefit from his perspective. He’s a time-tested draw for TNA, ROH, and NJPW, and based on his past experience, he’d expect to be treated as a main-event-level talent.
This wouldn’t happen in WWE, given their plans to push their own main-eventers.
Thus, Styles is better off wrestling in Japan and on the independent scene. He’s too big of a draw and too good of a wrestler to make less money on NXT than what he’s making now.