It was finished last week

...

I need to binge-watch it because I haven't yet.

Um, but I, I remember, so I've seen the highlights, and I, I remember some of these things taking place.

I remember when I was told they're gonna get rid of the six-sided ring, they're gonna get rid of this, they're, they're getting rid of, they're gonna make a ramp to the ring.

And I was like, "No way we're gonna get rid of the six-sided ring.

That's crazy.

Yeah

Mm.

And, uh, I knew it was about to happen, so I had to get away from everybody and, uh, and I tried.

Uh, I, I, uh, they were...

They had a locker room away from everybody else that I'd, I'd found that they were storing luggage in.

So I was like, "I'll just change in here.

It's quiet.

It's cold.

How do you feel like you look at wrestling differently in your 20s, your 30s, and then your 40s?

You know, Wendy and the kids.

Yeah.

Been married in August will be 26 years.

High school sweethearts.

That's amazing.

You know.

And we were able to have four unbelievably awesome kids who I had to beat.

Is that difficult to maintain this working relationship now and your father

[laughs]

Uh, so, uh, but as you can see, it's, it's large and beautiful, and it's an honor to have something like this.

This isn't the Hall of Fame.

Last night, where I was able to speak in front of people that I absolutely adore and love, that was what this is all about.

That's the Hall of Fame to me.

What does the future hold for AJ Styles in the context of WWE and professional wrestling?

Oh, wow.

You know, I'm wearing a couple different hats right now, and we'll see which one sticks.

[laughs]

And so I've sat where you guys have sat.

I know what it's like to be out there forever.

You're tired.

You just got out of a show with SmackDown.

You know what? I'm gonna make this short and sweet, and let, the same time, let so many people know how much I love them and appreciate them.

And if they remember one thing, at least it's that.

Does that play a factor?

If you can't take or throw a forearm, get out of the freaking business."

business."That's not the end.

I'm watching, I'm wondering what's gonna happen.

AJ grabs the guy like this, and he goes, wham.

See? Wham.

See? And the kid walks away like this, says, "Thank you, Mr.

Styles." [laughs] That's when I realized for real in 2006 that AJ Styles' finisher would be the Phenomenal Forearm.

[laughing]

[laughs]

Uh, so, uh, but as you can see, it's, it's large and beautiful, and it's an honor to have something like this.

This is at the Hall of Fame last night, where I was able to speak in front of people that I absolutely adore and love.

That was all this was all about.

That's the Hall of Fame to me.

Mm-hmm.

And things change quite often.

And so, uh, when I get too busy to do all these different hats that I'm trying to wear, and I have to focus on one, I'll let you know which one that is.

What does the future hold for AJ Styles in the context of WWE and professional wrestling?

Oh, wow.

You know, I'm wearing a couple different hats right now, and we'll see which one sticks.

And things change quite often.

And so, uh, when I get too busy to do all these different hats that I'm trying to wear, and I have to focus on one, I'll let you know which one that is.

But it is recruiting, it is working with WWID.

Uh, that's a big part of the things that I know a lot about, the independents.

Start your free trial at shopify.com.

Mm.

It was, like, the best.

It wasn't such a, a big resal- uh, resort that I couldn't figure out where I was going next.

It was just big enough where we could do a lot of different things, go out for dinner, and just have time to spend toge- you know, go have breakfast in the morning, but then go to the beach.

Yeah.

Like, you're, you're so consumed with your kids.

And I tell you the, the one thing that was rough for me is that I had been gone for so long and on the road for so many years, that my wife, I had made her put my kids first.

Or did you?

No, I mean, I, I guess I knew, like, I knew my, my dad loved me and I knew he loved mom.

He just had some stuff that he was dealing with that we n- had no idea, you know? And that, it destroyed, uh, his marriage and, and him to an extent and, you know.

But I mean, being a grown man now, I understand that.

But I wasn't let, uh...

My example is my faith and what I believe.

I'm, I'm a Christian.

[laughs]

Do you have any favorite matches or moments?

Of course, I have favorite moments and matches, and, but there's so many that I can't just throw them out there.

If we're- let's talk about the most recent favorite.

Shinsuke Nakamura and myself, uh, had an unbelievable match at Saturday Night Main Event.

I'm probably proud of that match because, uh, I know a lot of people didn't like the first one we had in WWE, so I think we made up for it.

Uh, the match with John Cena at Crown Jewel in Australia, freaking, man, I'm so glad I got to wrestle that guy.

Uh, Punk, having that match with him, you know, there's th...

What was it that was telling you Royal Rumble, not WrestleMania, three months later?

It was, yeah.

This, um, and I say I'm not just blowing this up here, but it actually did feel like a Mania day.

'Cause it was a stadium show, and it was actually, uh, believe it or not, the third-highest grossing event we've ever done.

Behind WrestleMania, I wanna say 40, night one and night two, then this.

They're all white.

Uh-huh.

Forgot he existed.

I'm just kidding.

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Uh, talk to us.

I was, uh, they...

I, I think it was in, uh, either one of or close to the last match of the show this, uh, when we were in Chile, and they go, "Hey, we're gonna put you on first because we're gonna have you go and wrestle Finn Balor, uh, Bray Wyatt's sick." So, I'm like, "Oh, all right." Um, so literally wrestled the first match, took a shower, got on a plane, flew me to, uh, Florida, got on a private, uh, plane, one of Vince's private planes, and flew to wherever we were.

I don't even know at this point.

I slept on the plane, um, on the little couch they had, and got to the show and, and had an amazing match with Finn Balor.

Uh, it, it was a crazy night.

But you know what, man? I was, I was stoked that they asked me to do it, that they-

... that job's important.

When you find out that John Cena is doing this retirement run, was having another match with him a priority for you, or is it something that you realized may or may not happen?

All right, well, let's, let's just be honest about the whole thing.

I don't know if you guys noticed, haven't been in the main event picture lately.

Um, so I just assumed that I wasn't that important.

Um, but it sounds like to me the fans wanted this match.

And at the end of the day, when it comes to John Cena's retirement tour, we're gonna give them what they want.

Um, so I'm happy to have the opportunity to face John one more time.

Do you go into this looking to prove people wrong? Is this, is this the match that when you put it in that context, do you realize that it's time to use absolutely everything that's in the tank 'cause maybe there's no tomorrow?

Any door, the right support.

Fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer.

And you know what? There comes a time in a man's life when he has to, you know, take care of business.

But then when business is done, it's time to take care, it's time to take care of his family.

Um, I need to spend time with my family.

AJ.

It's huge.

There's a reason, just like you said, it's two guys who got in a ring you never thought you'd see in a WWE ring together, John Cena, AJ Styles, the TNA guy against the WWE guy.

Any door, the right support.

But, but that was it.

That's what I feel, I feel like a lot of people cared about that match because it was two guys who started at a company and, and was building it.

It was almost AJ Styles was the TNA guy and John Cena was the WWE guy and similar routes.

You know, they were, they were coming up through the ranks and, uh, it was two companies.

So they always kind of compared us to each other, you know, and then what, 15 years later, you finally get to see these two guys step in the ring together and you never thought you'd see it.

And it was amazing.

For that AJ Styles belongs in that main event conversation.

you...... to, to the top of the card and demonstrated that you were the best of the best, not just in TNA, but also in, in WWE as well.

But, but that was it.

That's, uh, I, I feel like a lot of people cared about that match because it was two guys who started at a company and, and was building it.

It was almost AJ Styles was the TNA guy and John Cena was the WWE guy.

And, uh, similar routes.

You know, they were, they were coming up through the ranks and, uh, it was two companies, so they always kind of compared us to each other, you know.

And then, what, 15 years later, you finally get to see these two guys step in the ring together and you never thought you'd see it, and it was amazing.

Is there a motivation for you to go in there and say, "If I perform this the right way, it's gonna be impossible to not remember that AJ Styles belongs in that main event conversation"?

Well, I, I was gonna say, on that note, AJ, as a, as a wrestling fan, I wanna see you beat up Logan Paul. I think a lot of people wanna see you beat up Logan Paul, but ultimately, what happens if there is a match? And what happens if Logan Paul beats you? What happens if Logan Paul doesn't get humbled? What happens if he's able to beat the Phenomenal One?

Well, I can't imagine something like that's gonna happen, but if he does, then he d- maybe he deserves to be here. Maybe he's done something to prove that he deserves to be in the WWE. Listen, Logan Paul, we can say what... And, and, and we can make excuses of why he beat other guys, 'cause he has. One of the greatest luchadores in the history of professional wrestling got beat by Logan Paul.... and, and, you know, anyone can lose. It's not the first time I've lost to someone that people didn't think could beat me. I'm not saying I'm going to losing pa- lo- uh, Logan Paul. I don't plan on losing at anything I do. But at any given point, you can get beat. Anybody can get beat. But if, if Logan Paul is gonna beat AJ Styles, he's gonna have to go through hell.

... to just get as beefed up as anybody that I've ever seen. Was there... I mean, at what point did you consciously decide, "I'm just gonna remind these people how jacked I am capable of being"?

You know, when I broke my foot and was injured for a couple of months, I, I decided that I had to change something, I had to do something, I had to take care of my body. I had to do whatever it takes to get to, you know, a level where I felt healthy. Um, and th- that's what started it. You know, I, um, I talk to people all the time about these, uh, cold plunges and whatnot, and how it's changed my life, but i- it's one of those things where you c- now, it's not just that. It's ea- eating healthy. You know, everybody thinks that I've beefed up to 200 and whatever pounds. I'm still the same weight, which sounds crazy. Um, I've just slimmed down the places I needed to. So, say what you want, you know, I, I, I believe in the cold plunge, I believe in the sauna, I believe in eating healthy. If you can do all that and you can take all the shortcuts that you can that will get you to the next level, meaning that there are biohacks that you can do to, to get you there. You know, um, it's like, if you col- all right, I'm gonna... You're gonna make me harp on this.