Former WWE Superstar had an argument with Vince McMahon over AJ Styles (Exclusive)
Former WWE Superstar and backstage personality Road Dogg (real name Brian James) recently revealed that he got into an argument with former CEO Vince McMahon over AJ Styles.
Brian, who is a six-time tag team champion in the company alongside AEW's Billy Gunn, spent a few years in TNA Wrestling (now IMPACT) in the 2010s, where he worked with Styles a few times. When he returned to WWE as a writer and producer a few years later, he was one of the advocates for signing AJ to WWE.
On the latest episode of The Wrestling Outlaws podcast on Sportskeeda Wrestling's YouTube channel, Road Dogg said that he got into a huge argument with McMahon over the signing of the former WWE Champion:
"I fought, literally fought for him to get hired there. I had known of him... I knew everything about him. I'd seen his career in TNA. A lot of times Vince is in that WWE bubble and doesn't know about these guys. So I knew what AJ was capable of and what he brought to the table. So one of the first big arguments me and Vince got in was over AJ Styles. He (Vince) didn't see or know what to think, and I pushed a little too hard trying to say that he was over." [3:11 to 3:43]
After his TNA release, The Phenomenal one made his way to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). In Japan, he became the leader of the infamous Bullet Club, won the IWGP World Championship and wrestled in classic matches with the likes of Kazuchika Okada and Shinsuke Nakamura.
After his escapades overseas, AJ made his WWE debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble match. Since then, he's become a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion as well as one of the top stars in WWE.
AJ Styles wanted to face a 14-time world champion at WrestleMania
AJ Styles has had WrestleMania matches with multiple Hall of Famers. He even wrestled The Undertaker in The Phenom's last match at WrestleMania 36. More recently, he squared off against Edge at this year's Showcase of the Immortals.
One legend that The Phenomenal One didn't get to tangle with, however, is new WWE Head of Creative Triple H.
🗣 LET'S GO!!!
#WrestleMania @EdgeRatedR @AJStylesOrg https://t.co/iSJNYX21X2
The Game officially retired from the in-ring competition earlier this year after a cardiac event left him with a defibrillator in his chest. He even left his wrestling boots in the ring at this year's WrestleMania 38, which symbolizes a wrestler's retirement.
Fightful Select has reported that AJ Styles pitched to have a match with The Game at WrestleMania, but it didn't come to fruition due to several factors.
With an impressive portfolio at the biggest WWE event of the year, it's certain that despite his age, Styles has a few more great WrestleMania matches up his sleeve.