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AJ Styles: Yep, he’s still alive

Chris Graham

aj stylesThe Phenomenal AJ Styles was on top of the wrestling world, relatively speaking. Then Styles, who made his name in TNA, left the company in January to become a free agent, and has barely been heard from since.

Toiling in obscurity in Ring of Honor, Styles was asked in an interview with the Baltimore Sun if he would consider returning to tna.

“I tried to leave the door open. I haven’t buried the company,” Styles said. “I have friends there who do well, so I’m not going to do that. But I don’t know if I’ll ever go back, and it’s definitely not going to be any time soon. And from what one of their higher ups said, it will be, Only if there’s space available for AJ Styles. So I guess there might not be room for me, according to him.”

So that sounds like a big, fat no. But then, there’s a big, fat no as regards Styles’ observation that he hasn’t buried tna in his comments. Earlier in the interview with the Sun, for example.

“I know they’ve made a lot of cuts. That must mean they’re not doing so well,” Styles said. “Sting gone, Hogan gone, myself gone, and I’m sure we’re going to see more cuts soon. From what I’ve heard and been told, it’s been horribly mismanaged as a company. I don’t know if they’re going out of business. But they’re definitely doing things that make people think they’re going out of business.”

WWE made it clear that it isn’t interested in Styles. Ring of Honor isn’t more than a glorified indy. What about Jeff Jarrett’s new promotion, Global Force Wrestling?

“It’s nuts to think that we could have four major wrestling promotions in the United States,” Styles said. “Jeff’s very smart, there’s no doubt about it. He knows what he’s doing, and always has a backup plan. He took tna from nothing and turned it into something that’s still around 12 years later. That’s pretty darn good. That’s an accomplishment right there. I trust Jeff. I trust him to put on something good, and something that people will watch.”

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].