WWE superstar AJ Styles wishes he had an opportunity to face TNA legend Abyss in a WWE ring.
AJ Styles is well known for his lustrous career in TNA. When we think about the golden era of TNA, guys like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, Christopher Daniels, Abyss, and then some come to mind. Styles was at the pinnacle of his career in TNA having faced big names like Abyss and Samoa Joe.
His work in TNA made so much noise that it became irresistible for WWE to hire him. After jumping ships, “The Phenomenal One” was introduced into the WWE as an already established superstar. Due to his accolades in TNA, Styles didn’t have to start from the bottom in the WWE as he was already a household name in the world of pro wrestling.
After his debut in the Royal Rumble in 2016, Styles was pushed as a main eventer very soon. He has held the WWE Championship twice and The United States Championship three times.
In a recent interview with Metro.co.uk a couple of months ago, AJ Styles expressed his desire to face Abyss in the ring of WWE if it were possible. Interestingly, Abyss currently works for WWE as a producer backstage. He was signed to the WWE in 2019.
Abyss was the monster of TNA. We’ve seen him participate in barbaric matches with Sabu and Mick Foley. His monumental rivalry with AJ Styles will forever be remembered as one of the most hardcore rivalries in the history of pro wrestling.
“If it were up to me, I would’ve tagged with Abyss. Little things – Joseph A. Park, what a moment. I wish I could’ve had the opportunity to have him in a match here. It would’ve been great for him, and it would’ve been fun for me,” said Styles.
Styles further expressed gratitude for having gotten the chance to work with the WWE Hall of Famer, The Undertaker. He said he was jealous of the other guys who faced superstars like Shawn Micheals and Triple H as they were also on his list of ‘superstars to conquer’.
Why did AJ Styles leave TNA?
Styles has worked for several wrestling promotions like NJPW, Ring of Honor, TNA, and others before he finally made it to the WWE as a main event-level superstar. He had a successful run as a wrestler in every promotion wrestled for. He mainly gained main event status in TNA.
During his time in TNA, he was regarded as the pillar of the company and often called “The John Cena of TNA”. It’s no secret that it was because of AJ Styles and a few other wrestlers that TNA was able to sell out tickets and fill their arenas.
So why did he leave the company he help build from the ground up?
Speaking with Corey Graves on the After The Bell podcast, Styles finally revealed that the reason for him leaving the company was that he was getting paid less.
“When I worked at TNA, the reason that fell apart was because they wanted me to do the same amount of work but wanted me to take less money, and I didn’t feel that that was right because I did everything to the best of my abilities.”
According to Styles, his hard work in the ring was not rewarded enough in terms of the money he made. Hence, he decided to leave TNA. He did face criticism from the fans for dropping the ball on TNA, in his defense he said that what he did was in the best interest of him and his family. In his words, “loyalty can only go so far”.
