Styles has faced off against some of the greatest heels the business has to offer throughout the course of his storied career. The Phenomenal One has also dabbled in the dark side, enjoying notable stints in WWE against John Cena and, most recently, terrifying Raw’s tag team division in partnership with Omos.
AJ Styles just moved to WWE SmackDown and competed in the Intercontinental Championship contest. ‘The Phenomenal One’ won the tournament and became the new WWE Intercontinental Champion after defeating A-list superstars like Shinsuke Nakamura, Daniel Bryan, and others. He received his belt at a championship presentation event last week. In a non-title contest, he battled former WWE NXT standout, Matt Riddle. Despite the fact that AJ Styles lost the bout, it is rumored that the two will square off again, with The Phenomenal One emerging triumphant.
Who is AJ Styles?
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring as AJ Styles (sometimes styled as A.J. Styles). He is presently contracted to WWE’s Raw brand, where he performs. Styles is regarded as one of the finest professional wrestlers of his time, having worked for some of the top organizations in the world and sharing history with some of the industry’s biggest personalities. From 2002 to 2014, he became a member of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now called Impact Wrestling), and from 2014 to 2016, he became a member of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
He made his professional wrestling debut in 1998 and wrestled for a number of independent firms until signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001. Styles rose to prominence after signing with TNA, where he was dubbed “the cornerstone of the business since [its] existence,” winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 3 times, and also the X Division Championship six times. He is likewise the primary guy to win the TNA Triple Crown and Grand Slam.
In 2002, Styles made his debut withinside the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), despite the fact that he became down a developmental deal. Styles returned to the organization in 2016 and won the WWE Championship twice, turning into him the primary battler to capture the title outside of North America together with his second triumph in Manchester. This is the eighth-longest full of excitement reign in everybody’s championship history, at 371 days. He also won the United States Championship three times, as well as the Intercontinental Championship and the Raw Tag Team Championship once each, making him the second wrestler (after Kurt Angle) to win both the TNA/Impact and WWE Triple Crowns and the first to win both firms’ Grand Slams. In general, with substantial promotions (WWE, Impact, ROH, NJPW, RevPro), Styles has gained 31 overall championships – inclusive of 9 global titles.
He grew up in poverty with an alcoholic father who become abusive. Jones become not able to look at expert wrestling, his boyhood love, because of the family’s poverty, which averted them from buying cable television. His family relocated to Gainesville when he was one year old, and he grew up in a trailer park with his brothers. He visited Johnson highschool in Gainesville, Georgia, and graduated in 1996. Jones began amateur wrestling in high school and went on to win two state championships. Jones then went on a wrestling and physical education scholarship to Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina.
Some of his pals then encouraged him to attempt professional wrestling. He enrolled in a professional wrestling school to see whether he had a natural talent for it after seeing his pals do it. He worked cutting lawns and drove an ambulance to boost his income.
He mostly fought in lesser-known independent promotions from 1999 to 2001. Jones was renamed A.J. Styles after NCW combined with NWA Georgia to become NWA Wildside in December 1999.
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Before the taping of Raw on July 9, 2001, Styles had his first WWF tryout match against his trainer, Rick Michaels. Styles won with a Shooting Star Press, but no contract was given.
Following these matches, the WWF offered Styles a developmental deal that would require him to relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) developmental territory was located. Styles eventually declined the deal because it would interfere with his wife’s college plans. Despite this, Styles competed in one non-contracted fight for HWA on February 19, losing to Matt Stryker.
Styles returned to Raw on May 4 and won a gauntlet match to earn a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match at Money in the Bank after a lengthy break. Styles was unsuccessful in capturing the briefcase at the event. Styles was transferred to the brand on the May 22 edition of SmackDown after being confirmed as a participant in the Intercontinental Championship competition. After his planned opponent Elias was unable to play, he received a bye to the finals after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in the first round. Styles defeated Daniel Bryan to capture the Intercontinental Championship for the first time on SmackDown on June 12th.
After failing to win multiple battles in the following weeks, Omos turned on and attacked Styles on the December 20 episode of Raw, thereby breaking their partnership and turning Styles face for the first time since 2019.
Styles and Omos teamed up with Bobby Lashley to face The New Day in a 6-man tag team match at Extreme Rules, but Styles, Omos, and Lashley lost.
Following that, it was revealed that Styles and Omos will battle RK-Bro for the tag team titles at Crown Jewel in a rematch. RK-Bro defeated Styles and Omos once again in the tournament. Styles and Omos competed in a cross-brand battle royal at Survivor Series in November, which Omos won.
Styles “has long been recognized as one of the top wrestlers in the world,” according to Michael Moore of the Pro Wrestling Torch in a 2016 article. Styles was voted number 38 in IGN UK contributor Matt Fowler’s best 50 professional wrestlers of all-time list in November 2012. In 2016, Sports Illustrated ranked him as the 46th best wrestler of all time, saying, “Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if A.J. belongs in the top 20 in a couple of years.”
Paul Heyman, a professional wrestling promoter and manager, also made the connection to Shawn Michaels, saying: “He’s everything Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Ric Flair were to their time, but with a modern twist. He’s transformed their styles into the single most incredible in-ring performer I’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing up close “..
Return to Singles competition (2021–present)
After failing to win multiple battles in the following weeks, Omos turned on and attacked Styles on the December 20 episode of Raw, thereby breaking their partnership and turning Styles face for the first time since 2019. Styles entered the Royal Rumble at number one and eliminated six wrestlers until being eliminated by Madcap Moss on January 29, 2022. Styles was also a part of the Elimination Chamber match at the eponymous event when he was pinned by eventual winner Lesnar in a bout that also featured Seth Rollins, Riddle, Austin Theory, and the defending champion Bobby Lashley.
Is AJ Styles The Best Wrestler?
At 44, AJ still has a lot of excellent years ahead of him to contribute to WWE or any other organization he works for. Styles will most certainly part up with Omos in the coming future, sending the big guy into the main event. Omos would have benefited much by pairing the inexperienced behemoth with AJ, and it highlights Styles’ aptitude for getting everything (and everyone) over.
Styles might easily conclude his career as a seasoned veteran who mentors emerging talent, but that doesn’t mean he should do it right now. The majority of WWE fans would want to see him win a major championship in the organization once more. AJ is so amazing that a WWE/Universal Championship bout could happen at any time and it would seem absolutely natural.
When he is still one of the greatest in the world in the ring, the notion of retiring seems unimaginable, but Styles has lately stated that it isn’t too far away for him. Styles should do what is best for himself at this point in his career, as he has more than earned it.
Fans would miss him, and WWE would miss him since he is one of the finest they’ve ever had.
