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AJ Styles reveals a trip to the WWE Performance Center inspired him to finish his wrestling career ‘strong’ after recent return from a broken ankle... and it’s ‘it’s not much different’ with Triple H in charge

Posted: May 24th 2023 By: Alex McCarthy

AJ Styles is finally back in the World Heavyweight title picture and this Saturday gets the chance to make more history in WWE.

The Phenomenal One will clash with Seth Rollins at Night of Champions in a bid to be crowned the brand-new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

It would be the latest accolade in a WWE career that has seen Styles win every top title in the company, since his dramatic debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble.

A future Hall of Famer, Styles is still seen as one the most exciting Superstars in the company and there's still more to come from the veteran 45-year-old.

Sportsmail spoke exclusively to Styles ahead of his massive title match in Jeddah this weekend.

AJ Styles, so good to see you back in WWE and back in the heavyweight title picture, it's about time you were fighting for a world title again isn't it?

'It is about time I'm back in the heavyweight title picture, unfortunately, I'm up against Seth Rollins who's probably one of the best. I said a long time ago that he was going to be great, and nothing has changed, he's still one of the best so we'll see what happens.'

Take us back to the injury and how difficult the rehab was on the broken ankle...

'It was a simple thing, something I've done a million times and usually it happens the same. I was taking a backdrop, and I could have hit my back on the apron a little bit, but in that couple of seconds of landing on the outside my ankle, depending on the mat and where it was, turned in on me and snapped. I knew right when I did it, it was one of those things, it was like 'I'm done'. As far as rehab is concerned, as soon as I'm able to rehab, I'm on rehab and it's crazy how being in a boot for a while you forget how to there are certain things we take for granted - like walking and running and jumping. It's like my body had to rehab that, I actually went for another MRI because I thought something wasn't right. But they said the reason why it's hurting so bad is because there's so much inflammation. Once I realised that and that I wasn't going to tear or rip anything I got after it because I wanted to get better. I was able to focus on jumping and running and stuff like that and it was like overnight it changed.
Once you tell your brain you can do it, you can. It was really that simple once I realised I could put forward my best effort.'

Before you went away, The OC were feuding with The Judgement Day. Did you have any clue on plans for you or that rivalry heading into WrestleMania?

'No clue. I had no clue where I was going - I wish I could give you more information on that. I'm one of those guys where it's not my job to ask you where I'm going next, I'm not really that concerned. My job is to do it, you know, get in the ring and perform. I'm not going to beg for certain things, of course we want things to go our way in storylines, but it's not my job to write the stories - listen I didn't write the one I'm in! I get told you're going be back in two matches the first time back in the ring in WWE and I say 'Ok that's great', cos that's where I want to be because who knows where my cardio is at this point. It was tough, but I made it through and now my biggest match back in WWE it's going to be against Seth Rollins in Jeddah - so yeah no pressure.'

What have you made of Seth Rollins and his character evolution while you've been out with injury?

'There are layers to Seth's character and that's what you want in wrestling, it's longevity. He's doing it unbelievably well right now. I'm not surprised though, he keeps working hard, keeps doing his thing, he's a go-getter - I get it. Not surprised.'

You qualified for the title match at Night of Champions by defeating Edge and Rey Mysterio in a epic triple-threat match on SmackDown. Are we reading too much into, by saying that you three veterans were out there proving a point, at your age?

'Dude, I think you're reading too much into it. We're just like, hey this is a great idea, boom, boom, boom, It just came together. We were all excited about what was about to happen. The great thing about us is our timing, it's pretty much where it should be. So, this stuff is easy for us and I really had a good time in that match. I enjoyed it and we were moving the whole time, it's not like we were taking time off and laying there, we were moving. It was the first time in a long time I wasn't able to pull by vet card on those two, because they have more vet status, it was really fun being in there with the both of them.'

You're also back alongside The OC, how much are you enjoying be back with Gallows and Anderson?

'I think that when we're together, that's when we do the best business. Having Mia/Michin - whatever you guys, or whatever WWE wants to call us - it works. It's a good little family there and we all know each other so well and Mia is such a good extension to that family that we have. I think it's awesome and I just want to get into it and do more, not do less, do more and let's get back to work.'

How did the addition of Mia to the group happen?

'I don't know how exactly it came around and who made the idea, but I can tell you she is a great fit for us. She is like perfect, she was the missing piece, I love her man, sweetheart of a girl, I love having her on the team and she's a great asset to the OC. I'm looking forward to doing more stuff with her as part of the group.'

You're a man with four children, have any of them show any signs of following their Dad in wrestling? Especially when you at the stuff we've seen from Rey and Dominik Mysterio?

'He's (AJ's son) chasing this dream of baseball and he's still got one more year of high school and then go to college and play, so we'll see where that ends up. It's not for everybody, but he has more potential than I had to do greater things than I ever have. But it might come to a point where this didn't work out or that didn't work out and I might hear, Dad would you mind training us. And if that comes to that, I wouldn't mind doing it. Where we're at with WWE and other places, it's a better atmosphere than it's ever been, it's not all that drinking and drugs - I'm not saying it doesn't go on - but it's not all about that as it was before. I think it's a better atmosphere for kids to have a future, doing something they enjoy. If my kids want to do it, 15 years ago I'd say absolutely not, no way hose, but now it's different I don't mind so much. Can you imagine travelling and working with your son? That sounds great to me, that be fun. I know Dom plays a great character, but he's an even better person in real life, he's a good respectful kid - can't say enough good things about him. So his Dad must have done something right, you know? It's one of those things you never know until you know, and it may take a couple of years for them to find out they want to do this and I would help them.'

When you were off with your injury, did it start getting you thinking about what you might do post WWE?

'I will tell you this. I thought I might go stir-crazy being stuck at home and not being able do to what I wanted to do, which I did a little bit. I wanna go when I wanna go and do what I wanna do and when you've got a boot and crutches it just hinders that and it will drive you nuts. That's what drove me crazy, not being unable to be in a wrestling ring as I thought it would. I enjoyed the time, I enjoyed seeing my kids and my wife as it's the first time I've been out this long in my career. So it kind of put things in perspective, like when retirement does come, I'm going to be ok. But I did go down to the performance centre and see these young, hungry kids and it inspired me to finish strong. Whenever I finish from now on, I want to finish strong. Being down there really helped my motivation.'

We have to ask you about Omos and his progression this year, what have you made of it?

'I'm do proud of him dude, so proud of him. It's harder for a man of his size to learn what we do, it's not easy. It's easier for me, guys like this size, cos I can do almost everything right? But for him, a guy who's like 7'3, 7'4 with his shoes on, for him to be doing what he's doing right now I am absolutely one hundred per cent loving it and so proud of him cos it's not easy for a man of his size.'

There's obviously been a big change in WWE's creative too, with Triple H now in charge. Triple H is someone you spoke to when coming to WWE, while Vince McMahon you have said previously you had to convince about AJ Styles. Has that seen any change for you since the transition?

'I don't feel like it's much of a switch. Again, we have a job to do and we do it to the best of our abilities whether it's Triple H or Vince McMahon. The orders are coming down from them and I want to make sure they get what they want, I want to give them what they envisioned in their head and I want to bring it to the ring and do that same thing. So it's not much different, I'm sure some people would disagree, but I look at what I do from a different perspective. Wrestling is my job and I love my job, but it's not my life. I think I look at it through a different lens than most because my life doesn't revolve around wrestling, my family does, that's what it revolves around and wrestling is a job I really enjoy doing. Not many people can say that but I think that's what helps me in my career. My most concerning thing I'd say is whether it's Triple H or Vince is that they trust me to do my job. That's all I ask for.'

When you do retire, do you have an opponent in mind you'd like to face?

'I've got something in mind about the way I'd like to retire, will it happen? I don't know, I don't know who exactly it would be, I've got in mind who I think it should be but we'll see what happens.'

How about the Hall of Fame....who would be the ideal person to induct AJ Styles?

'Me and Dolph Ziggler sat in the front row at the Hall of Fame, and we said we wouldn't it be cooler if we had a music video induct us rather than someone come out and talk for us. That would be more entertaining and more exciting to see rather than someone talk - because it can take 45 minutes! And we're like dude, we don't want to hear you, we want to hear from the guy who's being inducted. So, I'm going to see if I can swing it, I don't know. Be nice to just have a video playing like it used to be in WWE, having that song that gets you pumped and the next thing you know your buying the song because of the video. That's what I would like to do.'

Finally, if you were to tell fans to watch ONE AJ Styles match, which one would you recommend?

'I would say the fans always make the match, unless you're going to listen with the volume off that's different. But if you're going to watch with the volume up and enjoy the match, just put the SummerSlam match or the Royal Rumble match on with me and John Cena and you're going to enjoy it.'

Make sure you catch Night of Champions this Saturday on WWE Network from 6pm BST