10 Reasons AJ Styles Is The Best WWE Signing Of The Decade

1. Fantasy Vs Reality

AJ Styles
WWE.com

WrestleMania season hasn't half brought out the worst in some of the roster's rank-and-file. It's tough not to trip over storylines centred around wrestlers merely earning a match on the card let alone fighting for a title or whatever actual pursuit pro wrestling is theoretically supposed to represent.

WWE tried for years to make the brand the draw rather than the talent when it came to selling tickets, but the strategy has worked so well for the 'Show Of Shows' that talent themselves are blinded by the lights. Even Ronda Rousey was scripted to gush in appreciation of the opportunity she'd been given just to be part of the company. Wrestlers aren't chasing money or a competitive desire to be the best - they're competing to get there and stay there.

Not AJ Styles though. He'd respectfully turned down lowball offers from WWE in the past, knowing his worth and value to the industry before he eventually signed on for substantially more in 2016. It's possible Vince McMahon misses the moxie a little as he drowns in 'Gratitude Era' grown-ups he's inadvertently reared. Styles' self-respect can't have been missed by McMahon, and has been rewarded in kind.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett