Bruce Prichard reveals how AJ Styles' WWE debut changed the wrestling business
AJ Styles made his debut in WWE in 2016, in a move that shook up the entire wrestling scene, as it was a move that was never expected to ever happen. AJ Styles making his debut in the company after his incredible run in Impact Wrestling (then known as TNA), and NJPW, made the wrestling community see that the rumor that former Impact Wrestling Superstars not getting pushed in WWE was not something that was true anymore.
During a recent podcast episode of Something To Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, Prichard talked about AJ Styles making his debut in the company and how that changed the WWE and the wrestling business altogether.
How AJ Styles' WWE debut changed the perception of Independent wrestlers
Bruce Prichard revealed that there was a perception, before AJ Styles made his debut in WWE, that the company had made a decision to never push any wrestler who had worked in Impact Wrestling. This discouraged a number of wrestlers from their dreams of going to WWE at the time.
Given AJ Styles' long history in Impact Wrestling, when he finally made his debut in WWE and then had an amazing run, winning the WWE Championship in only a matter of months, the perception of WWE changed. It was obvious that WWE did not have qualms about pushing former Impact Wrestling wrestlers.
'"I think when AJ debuted in the WWE, it was after everybody said, 'WWE wants nothing to do with you if you ever worked from TNA, and you're coming from there... and it was that time when the word on that was out. It was discouraging for everyone who worked at TNA, because they were thinking, 'Well s***, I'm just trying to make a living.' And AJ Styles to me is the guy who really broke that mold and really stepped up for those independent guys that are out there, who, I think, in some ways had given up on ever going to WWE. He said, 'You know what, you can make it, and you can do it.' He is the perfect proof that you can do it. John Cena is the perfect proof that by God if you never give up, bust your a**, and work harder than anybody else, you rise to the top."
For any quotes taken from this article, please credit Something To Wrestle and h/t Sportskeeda.