A new insight into AJ Styles’ early WWE run has surfaced, as a fellow superstar recalled a backstage moment that helped reshape “The Phenomenal One” before he became a main-event fixture.
Speaking on The TMZ Podcast, The Miz reflected on his first program with Styles in 2016, shortly after Styles’ Royal Rumble debut — a pairing that, at the time, seemed to check all the boxes inside the ring but left a different impression backstage.
The Miz recalls Vince McMahon’s tough feedback to AJ Styles
According to The Miz, both men believed they had delivered a strong performance during their early match. “We walked back and we were like, the crowd was up. The crowd was great,” he said. However, that confidence was quickly cut down.
Miz recalled Vince McMahon’s blunt assessment: “I got a million guys like you. What’s going to set you apart? I need a pit bull.”
That critique — sharp enough to cut deeper than a well-timed blade job — became a turning point. Rather than brushing it off, Styles leaned into it. The following week, the two adjusted their approach, aiming to add more intensity and edge.
The Miz explained the shift led to a physical moment that symbolized the change. “The next week… he knocked my tooth out of my mouth,” he said, noting there was no frustration behind it. “We set out to make him a pit bull.”
He added that the real difference wasn’t just about moves, but what happens between them. “We have a million guys that can do all the moves… it’s the emotion… the stuff that makes people believe.”
Styles, who has since retired following his loss to Gunther at the 2026 Royal Rumble, is now part of WWE’s talent development system.
His career — now Hall of Fame-bound — stands as proof that sometimes the toughest promos happen behind the curtain, not in front of it.
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