AJ Styles has finally addressed claims that he will join AEW after his WWE retirement.
Speaking on the Talk’n Shop podcast alongside The Good Brothers, Styles put the rumours to rest and insists he will not jump ship to AEW.
In fact, he confirmed he will be working with WWE behind the scenes.
Styles said: “Everybody wants to say, ‘Oh, WWE put him in the Hall of Fame so he couldn’t go to AEW.’ Guys, I’m retired from wrestling in the ring. That’s all this is. I make my own choices. I make my own decisions. I was ready. I’m still going to be working with WWE. That’s not going to change.
“I have these dreams and aspirations of helping out the younger talent and helping them get ready. If somebody’s not ready once they get there, it’s my job to hopefully help them get to that point where they can do well and they’re confident when they step into a WWE ring – that they have the ability and the talent. They’re one of the boys or one of the girls. They belong.
“Being able to help with that is a blessing, dude. I’m so excited about it.”
Justin Barrasso of SI.com claims that Styles is well aware of the kind of money that AEW owner Tony Khan was willing to offer him.
“For as much as WWE claims to be blissfully unaware of what is happening in AEW, that isn’t the case. With Styles getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, it severely limits any potential AEW owner Tony Khan had of bringing Styles in for a surprise appearance at the Revolution pay-per-view in March.
“For AEW, their post-WrestleMania show is Double or Nothing in May–and even that feels too soon for Styles to appear.
“That isn’t to imply Styles was looking to wrestle again. He meant what he said about spending time at home with family.
“But speaking to a few people close to him, Styles was well aware that AEW was willing to make a substantial offer. And it was likely going to be one that wouldn’t cost him much time away from home.”
