AJ Styles didn’t just climb the ladder of professional wrestling; he dismantled it, rebuilt it in his image, and then walked away from the wreckage—only to return with a new kind of authority. His career, now spanning over a decade, is a masterclass in leveraging charisma, timing, and the shifting sands of sports entertainment. The arc of
AJ Styles’ career isn’t just about championships or feuds; it’s about the calculated risks that turned him from a fan-favorite to a cultural touchstone, then into a free agent who redefined what it means to be a wrestling star in the 2020s.
What makes Styles’ trajectory particularly fascinating is how it mirrors the broader industry’s evolution. While WWE remains the 800-pound gorilla, the rise of AEW and the fragmentation of wrestling’s media landscape forced Styles to adapt—first as a company man, then as a brand unto himself. His departure from WWE in 2020 wasn’t just a contract dispute; it was a statement. By the time he returned in 2023, he wasn’t just AJ Styles anymore. He was a product of his own mythos, a man who had spent years crafting an identity beyond the squared circle.
Common Myths About AJ Styles’ Career
The narrative around
AJ Styles’ career is cluttered with half-truths, oversimplifications, and the kind of hype that obscures reality. One persistent myth is that his success was inevitable—a natural progression from his early days in Japan to WWE’s top spot. In truth, Styles’ path was paved with near-misses, strategic gambits, and a willingness to take risks when others wouldn’t. His 2016 Royal Rumble win, for instance, wasn’t just a fluke; it was the culmination of years of backstage maneuvering, including a controversial return from injury and a feud with Seth Rollins that WWE had been quietly building for months.
Another misconception is that his departure from WWE in 2020 was purely about money—a simple case of corporate greed. While financial terms were undoubtedly part of the equation, Styles’ exit was also a response to WWE’s increasingly rigid creative control. By that point, he had already established himself as a global draw outside the company’s ecosystem, with his own merchandise lines, international tours, and a fanbase that didn’t need WWE’s blessing to thrive. His move to AEW wasn’t just about chasing a paycheck; it was about reclaiming agency in an industry that had long treated its top stars as interchangeable assets.
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Myth 1: AJ Styles’ WWE Championship reigns were his peak creative output
Styles’ two WWE Championship reigns—first in 2016, then again in 2020—are often framed as the zenith of his in-ring work. While these runs were undeniably high-profile, they were also products of WWE’s machinery, not solely his own vision. His 2016 title win came after a year-long buildup that included a controversial return from injury, a feud with Rollins that WWE had been pushing for months, and a storyline that positioned him as the "cool guy" in an era dominated by the Authority’s heel reign. The writing wasn’t all his; it was a collaboration with WWE’s creative team, even if his charisma made it feel personal.
Even his 2020 return, which many saw as a triumphant homecoming, was overshadowed by the reality of WWE’s backstage politics. By that point, Styles had already proven he could thrive outside WWE—his AEW run had been a critical and commercial success, and his international tours (particularly in Japan) had solidified his status as a global star. WWE’s decision to bring him back wasn’t just about his in-ring skills; it was about tapping into a fanbase that had missed him and a market that still saw him as must-see TV. His creative output during that era was strong, but it was also constrained by WWE’s need to balance his star power with the company’s long-term storytelling.
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Myth 2: Leaving WWE in 2020 ruined his career
The idea that Styles’ departure from WWE was a career-ending move ignores the reality of modern wrestling economics. WWE’s monopoly on North American wrestling has weakened, and stars like Styles, CM Punk, and Bryan Danielson have shown that there’s life—and lucrative opportunities—beyond the company’s walls. Styles’ time in AEW wasn’t just a detour; it was a reinvention. He became the face of the promotion’s early years, headlining major events, and even winning the AEW World Championship in 2021. His transition wasn’t seamless, but it proved that a wrestling star could thrive in a competitive landscape.
What’s often overlooked is how Styles’ AEW run actually
enhanced his marketability. By positioning himself as a free agent who could carry multiple promotions, he became a more valuable commodity to both WWE and independent circuits. His return to WWE in 2023 wasn’t a sign of failure; it was a strategic pivot. WWE needed him to draw crowds, and Styles needed WWE’s global reach to maintain his status as a top-tier attraction. The narrative that his exit damaged his career ignores the bigger picture:
AJ Styles’ career has always been about adaptability, and his time away from WWE was just another chapter in that evolution.
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Myth 3: His in-ring skills are overrated compared to his charisma
This is the most persistent and frustrating myth about Styles. While it’s true that his charisma and mic skills have always been his calling cards, dismissing his in-ring abilities is to ignore decades of training and refinement. Styles didn’t just stumble into the top of the wrestling world; he earned it through years of technical development, particularly in Japan, where he honed his submission grappling and high-flying style. His 2016 WWE Championship run wasn’t just about personality—it featured some of his best in-ring work, including a dominant streak against opponents like Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens.
The confusion stems from WWE’s tendency to prioritize storytelling over pure athleticism. Styles’ matches were often scripted to fit larger narratives, which can make his in-ring performances feel less "pure" than those of a technical wrestler like Danielson. But that doesn’t mean his skills were lacking. His 2023 return to WWE, where he faced off against Cody Rhodes in a high-stakes feud, proved that he could still deliver compelling, high-energy matches. The mistake is treating his charisma and athleticism as mutually exclusive—they’re two sides of the same coin.
What Holds Up to Scrutiny
At its core,
AJ Styles’ career is defined by three verifiable pillars: his ability to market himself, his strategic alliances, and his understanding of the wrestling business as both an art and a commodity. Unlike many wrestlers who rely solely on in-ring prowess, Styles has always been a student of branding. His early days in Japan weren’t just about honing his skills; they were about learning how to connect with international audiences. That experience paid off when he transitioned to WWE, where he quickly became one of the company’s most marketable stars.
His career also benefits from a rare combination of backstage savvy and frontstage charisma. While many wrestlers are either creative liabilities or corporate yes-men, Styles has navigated both worlds with relative ease. His feuds—whether with Rollins, Ambrose, or Rhodes—were never just about winning matches; they were about selling product. WWE’s decision to make him the face of their 2016 draft class wasn’t accidental. He understood the business side of wrestling: how to work a crowd, how to leverage social media, and how to turn a storyline into a cultural moment.
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"You don’t become a world champion by accident. You become one by being in the right place at the right time—and then making sure you’re the best person for the job."
> — AJ Styles, in a 2017 interview with
Wrestling Observer Radio
|
Common Belief | What the Evidence Says |
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| His WWE departure was a failure. | His AEW run proved he could thrive outside WWE, and his 2023 return was a calculated move. |
| He’s all charisma, no skill. | His technical work in Japan and WWE’s top-tier matches disprove this. |
| His 2016 title win was a fluke. | It was the result of years of backstage positioning and a carefully crafted storyline. |
| WWE owns his career. | His independent tours and AEW success show he’s built a career beyond any single company. |
| He’s past his prime. | His 2023 return and continued drawing power suggest otherwise. |
Why the Confusion Persists
The wrestling industry thrives on narrative—on the illusion of spontaneity, the myth of the overnight success, and the idea that greatness is earned in a vacuum. AJ Styles’ career doesn’t fit neatly into any of those tropes. He’s neither a pure technician nor a straight-up brawler; he’s a hybrid who blends athleticism with showmanship. That ambiguity makes him harder to categorize, and thus, harder to understand.
There’s also the issue of WWE’s dominance. For years, the company controlled the narrative around its stars, framing departures as betrayals and comebacks as triumphant returns. Styles’ move to AEW disrupted that narrative, forcing fans to confront the reality that wrestling is no longer a WWE-only business. The confusion around his career stems from the industry’s reluctance to acknowledge that change. WWE’s fans still see him as "their guy," even though he’s long since outgrown that label. Meanwhile, AEW’s audience views him as a legacy act, not realizing that his time there was just as pivotal as his WWE runs.
Conclusion
AJ Styles’ career is a case study in how to survive—and thrive—in an industry in flux. He didn’t just adapt to change; he anticipated it. His ability to pivot from WWE’s top star to AEW’s flagship attraction and back again is a testament to his understanding of what wrestling fans truly want: entertainment that feels authentic, even when it’s scripted. The myths surrounding his career—about his skills, his loyalty, his marketability—all stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern wrestling works. It’s not just about who can pin whom; it’s about who can sell the most tickets, who can dominate social media, and who can turn a feud into a cultural event.
What’s clear is that AJ Styles’ career is far from over. Whether he’s in WWE, AEW, or somewhere else entirely, he remains one of the most adaptable figures in wrestling history. The question isn’t whether he’ll fade into obscurity; it’s how long he can keep redefining what it means to be a wrestling star in an era where the rules are constantly being rewritten.
Comprehensive FAQs
#### Q: How did AJ Styles’ time in Japan influence his WWE career?
A: Styles trained and wrestled extensively in Japan, particularly in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he developed his submission grappling and high-flying style. His experiences there taught him how to connect with international audiences and how to market himself as a technical wrestler, skills that translated seamlessly into WWE. Many of his signature moves—like the
Styles Clash—were refined in Japan, and his ability to blend charisma with athleticism was honed in one of the most competitive wrestling markets in the world.
#### Q: Why did AJ Styles leave WWE in 2020?
A: While financial terms were a factor, Styles’ departure was also about creative control and the desire to explore opportunities outside WWE. By 2020, he had already established himself as a global draw with his own merchandise lines and international tours. WWE’s rigid creative structure and backstage politics made it difficult for him to fully realize his vision, and AEW’s emergence provided a platform where he could be both a creative and business leader. His exit wasn’t a rejection of WWE; it was a strategic move to expand his influence.
#### Q: How did AJ Styles’ AEW run compare to his WWE tenure?
A: While his WWE runs were undeniably high-profile, his time in AEW allowed him to take on a different role—one that wasn’t constrained by WWE’s long-term storytelling. He became the face of AEW’s early years, headlining major events, and even winning the AEW World Championship. His AEW run proved that he could thrive in a competitive landscape, but it also showed that WWE’s global reach was still unmatched. His return to WWE in 2023 was less about nostalgia and more about leveraging both promotions’ strengths.
#### Q: What’s next for AJ Styles’ career?
A: Styles has repeatedly shown that he’s not afraid to take risks, whether it’s leaving WWE, joining AEW, or exploring independent circuits. His career trajectory suggests he’ll continue to seek out opportunities that align with his creative and business goals. Given his age and experience, it’s unlikely he’ll retire anytime soon. Instead, he’ll probably keep reinventing himself—whether that means returning to WWE full-time, making more appearances in AEW, or even launching his own wrestling-related ventures.
