10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About AJ Styles

9. His TNA Success Proved WWE Wrong

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TNA

AJ Styles deserves all the credit in the world for helping turn TNA from upstart independent into North America's second in command behind WWE. Between 2002-13, AJ proved himself as a flashy in-ring worker, turned the X-Division into one of wrestling's most exciting buzzwords and became a true homegrown star for the company.

Post-WCW, WWE had the chance to sign him full-time. Instead, they offered him a small-time developmental deal. Styles turned it down, only wrestling several dark matches and on 'C' level programming like Metal.

Around that same time, TNA started up, and AJ never looked back. To Impact Wrestling's hardcore, he holds God-like status. Early matches with Jerry Lynn, Low-Ki and Jeff Jarrett gave way to memorable main event runs with Kurt Angle, Sting, Abyss and more.

In just over a full decade, Styles did more for TNA's standing in the wrestling world than almost anyone else, and he did it by having killer matches. WWE could have had that years before they did.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.