Sting made history in November of last year when he showed up at Survivor Series and finally set foot in a WWE ring. Many thought it would never happen, but he’s not the only one that has never been to Vince McMahon’s promotion. AJ Styles is another huge name who has never really had a run in WWE, but a former NWO member and a WWE legend both are campaigning for him to be signed.
Now, unlike Sting, Styles actually has been in WWE before, but not much.
He was in WCW as Air Styles when WWE bought it out in early 2001, and there was no place for him in the new company. Styles did wrestle a few matches on Jakked , but nothing more than that.
A developmental deal of $500 per week and relocation to Ohio was offered to Styles in April of 2002, but he declined.
Wrestling Inc. reported that Sean “X-Pac” Waltman actually hopes that AJ Styles does sign with WWE one day. Waltman believes that he’s “probably happy with what he’s doing,” but he still would love to see him finally show up in WWE.
Currently, Styles is working in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) , and he’s been there since TNA decided not to re-sign him.
Waltman isn’t the only one that wants Syles in WWE though. Wrestling legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was talking about AJ Styles on his podcast , and that was when he got into his confusion about why Styles isn’t in WWE.
“I don’t know why WWE doesn’t hire AJ Styles right now.”
Now, Austin doesn’t think that Styles is the best wrestler alive and isn’t on “the Shawn Michaels level,” but he has faith in him. Austin believes that Styles “deserves a run in WWE” and that he’s a “bad-a**.”
Like many, Austin believes that WWE hasn’t signed AJ Styles because he’s what is considered a “TNA guy” since he had been there for so long. He has a lot of experience just like Kevin Owens (15 years), Seth Rollins (10 years), and Finn Balor (15 years) so it’s not like he is green or anything.
With WWE recently signing guys like Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe who doesn’t necessarily fit the physical mold that one comes to expect from the company, the signing of AJ Styles isn’t totally out of the question now.
AJ Styles is currently 38-years-0ld, so he still has some time left in the ring, but if he’s going to get one good run in WWE, then it needs to happen now. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Sean Waltman both believe it’s time, and it may happen sooner than you think.
[Image via TNA]