WWE SmackDown star has surprising reaction to AJ Styles’ recent claims about The OC
AJ Styles is on the hunt for WWE gold, and unfortunately, that means his role with The O.C. was put on the backburner. A fellow SmackDown Superstar has just publicly reacted to controversial comments made by Styles.
The Club, aka The Official/Original/Only Club, or The O.C., was one of the most dominant WWE factions at one point. It was most recently made up of Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Mia Yim, who was recruited when she returned to the company in late 2022. While going to war with The Bloodline, Styles was forced to take an 84-day hiatus following an attack by Solo Sikoa.
The Phenomenal One returned to WWE in late December and has been focused on the main event scene. There was also tension with his former stablemates, who have seemingly moved on.
Speaking to Tyler Breeze on UpUpDownDown's Fanatics Live stream today, Styles was asked if he's still cool with The O.C. after a t-shirt came up to be signed. The founding member of The O.C. mentioned that he always liked their logo before addressing their status as a faction.
"No, we're not cool. We're not cool. [Are they out?] Friggin'... they want to do what they want, let them do what they want. Wait, are we talking about me [aka real name Alan Neal Jones] or AJ Styles? AJ hates them. [Is there a difference?] Yeah, AJ's not happy with them, at all. So... that's fair," AJ Styles said.
A fan on X shared the clip with Michin and asked what she thinks about Styles' shots at The O.C. While she did not provide any actual comments, Yim responded with a photo of the late entertainer Bernie Mac. The photo of the "Who You Wit!" comedian is a screenshot from The Original Kings of Comedy.
Styles and Yim have teamed up just once in mixed tag team action. They defeated Karrion Kross and Scarlett on the June 16, 2023 edition of SmackDown.
AJ Styles makes interesting claim about former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon did not know who AJ Styles was when the international star first signed with the company in 2016.
The Phenomenal One worked tryout matches with WWE in 2001 and 2002 but passed on a developmental contract because relocating would have interfered with his wife's college schedule. After making a name for himself around the world, the inaugural TNA X-Division Champion finally signed with WWE and debuted in January 2016 at the Royal Rumble. Styles has been pushed as a top star ever since.
Speaking on the Fanatics Live merchandise stream, the two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion referred to McMahon as "the redacted name," likely due to his ongoing scandal, and claimed the boss had no idea who he was hiring.
Kurt Angle later revealed the very telling comments Mr. McMahon made to him about Styles' debut and how fans reacted.
"The redacted name did not know me. He had no clue who I was," AJ Styles said of his WWE signing and Vince McMahon. [H/T to Jeremy Lambert]
AJ is set to wrestle LA Knight at WrestleMania XL in less than 10 days, and a major change may be in the works. This will be Knight's official 'Mania debut.