WWE's clever strategy to re-sign AJ Styles to a lucrative contract revealed - Reports
AJ Styles recently re-signed with WWE as per reports. While he initially stated that the contract he signed in 2019 would be his last, the light schedule that the company had in 2020 and most of 2021 made The Phenomenal One reconsider his retirement. In a new report, more details have emerged behind the new lucrative contract that Styles signed with WWE.
AJ Styles has now been with WWE for over six years. By the time his new contract expires, he will have completed nine years with the company - far longer than anybody would have expected. He is a grand slam champion who has accomplished everything with regards to titles. He even has a WrestleMania main event to his name and will always be the last person to face The Undertaker before his retirement.
Fightful confirmed that the two-time world champion has, in fact, re-signed with WWE. More details emerged, and they revealed that the company expected him to have plenty of offers once his contract expired, which is why they rushed to extend his deal even before he could begin communicating with other promotions:
"WWE expected Styles to have plenty of suitors, and we're told that as in the case with some other big names in the company, wanted to get Styles' deal extended before he could even hit free agency to talk to anyone else. Styles is said to be very happy in the company, and has mentioned numerous times that he'd like to work for WWE after his wrestling career," stated the report.
It was a clever strategy that worked, and Styles has always made it clear that he wants to retire in WWE. The source further stated that he deserved every penny and that it won't take too much for the sports entertainment juggernaut to make it back. There are even some extra perks involved:
"Those that confirmed the deal to us said that 'he deserved every penny,' and 'would easily make that back for the company.' We're also told that he has some additional bus travel accommodations paid for," stated the report.
This is good news for AJ Styles, who is one of the greatest performers of his generation. He quickly became a top superstar in WWE and has established a Hall of Fame-worthy career.
I accepted your #WrestleMania challenge like a man and you responded like a coward.
You got the better of me on #WWERaw and made your move.
Now you better prepare yourself for mine. https://t.co/sjlP7mQW9t
AJ Styles was in talks with AEW in 2019
This is the newest member of my family. Also, I’ve signed a new contract with the WWE. What a cute little guy. https://t.co/PNqh9shgTH
Before he signed his previous contract in 2019 that was set to expire before he re-signed, AJ Styles was in talks with AEW. The Phenomenal One once confirmed that there were talks for him to jump ship and debut on the first episode of Dynamite.
However, it was during the time when WWE was offering lucrative deals to superstars to simply prevent them from signing with All Elite Wrestling. Styles was a beneficiary of this and was offered a far better deal from WWE thanks to the offer that Tony Khan and AEW made to him.
It isn't surprising that AJ Styles never jumped ship, and given that he is in the final stage of his career, he is unlikely to ever do so.