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WWE champion AJ Styles: I'm not the best wrestler in the world

WWE champion AJ Styles: I'm not the best wrestler in the world

Posted: Mar 25th 2018 By: Jefferson Lake

A. J. Styles regularly features at the top of fans' "best wrestler in the world" polls but the man himself does not believe he is worthy of such a billing.

WWE champion Styles is on course for a WrestleMania clash with Shinsuke Nakamura which is a "dream match" for many followers and one which is more than likely to steal the show at the biggest event of the year.

At 40, and having honed his wrestling craft with several companies in both North America and Japan, Styles has carved a reputation for himself as the best worker in the business.

With every passing Box Office event, another exhibit is added to the pile of evidence to support that argument, whether his opponent is a power-based bruiser such as Brock Lesnar or a semi-active - but gladly bump-taking - competitor such as Shane McMahon.

Styles, however, when asked by Sky Sports if he agreed with the view that he is the world number one, said: "No, I would not agree with that.

"I think there's still a lot to be learned by AJ Styles and you can't consider yourself to be the best when you've still got so much stuff to learn."

This year will be Styles' 20th as a professional but only two of those have been spent in WWE; Gainesville's favourite son has had to make his name away from the bright Stamford lights but that has hardly been to his detriment.

In fact, there is a solid argument that the time spent elsewhere on the wrestling circuit has made Styles into the competitor he is today.

Throughout that near two-decade run, he was content with life and had come to terms with the fact that his chances of joining the major league had consistently come and gone.

"There was never really that window of opportunity," he said. "You get in this business because you believe in yourself and I always saw myself being in the main event of WrestleMania at some point.

"But as it got later in my career I started to think I may never get that chance, that I may never be in WWE.

"Sometimes it doesn't happen and you learn to live with it. I had learned to live with it and I was living with it, I guess. I'd been successful in a lot of places I'd been.

"I was okay with that. But having been in WWE and being the WWE champion, it's very exciting and I'm really looking forward to WrestleMania. I can't wait. There's nothing bigger than the WWE."

 

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  • 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

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  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
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  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
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  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
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