"Got to WWE through a long route" - Ric Flair on why 2-time world champion never looked for a move to AEW
WWE legend Ric Flair has given some insight into why "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles didn't follow the likes of Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole in leaving the company and joining AEW.
Styles is coming up on seven years in the sports entertainment giant at the time of writing, and has achieved all there is to achieve in the company. He has won the WWE Championship on two occasions, becoming a "Grand Slam Champion" and also having the honor of being The Undertaker's final opponent at WrestleMania 36 in 2020.
With that in mind, some have stated that before Styles wraps up his full-time career, they would like to see him perform in AEW, even if it was for a one-off occasion similar to Shinsuke Nakamura's upcoming match against The Great Muta for Pro Wrestling NOAH.
But why didn't AJ Styles ever move to AEW? The Nature Boy Ric Flair may have a reason, as he talked about The Phenomenal One on the most recent edition of his To Be The Man podcast.
“Okay, AJ [Styles] got to WWE through a long route, who knows how he got there? Is AJ going to AEW? Someone left WWE and went to AEW, that tells you how much he meant to WWE.” [53:24-53:44]
@JobberNationTV I actually want to see AJ in AEW
Styles debuts at Full Gear!!
Could you imagine, one more indie run we deserve it how like they're letting Shinsuke
At the age of 45, Styles may not be looking for a rigorous full-time schedule in All Elite Wrestling right now, but if the likes of Chris Jericho, Sting and Billy Gunn are anything to go by, anything is possible.
AJ Styles was briefly featured in an AEW promo package
One of the reasons why people thought AJ Styles was going to jump ship to All Elite Wrestling at one point was his long history with Executive Vice Presidents Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.
Their history was even referenced on the most recent episode of Dynamite, where during a recent video package that teased The Elite's return to All Elite Wrestling, photos of Styles during his Bullet Club days were briefly shown.
#theElite @youngbucks @KennyOmegamanX
Tune in to #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork ! https://t.co/s1Ti3S7176
A number of WWE stars, including Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes, were also briefly shown in the video package. This ended up leaving fans with more questions than answers.
Would you like to see AJ Styles in All Elite Wrestling one day? Let us know in the comments section down below!
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