AJ Styles is a bonafide WWE Superstar now, but he was worried how it would all go down before he made his debut with the company.
AJ Styles recently appeared on Out Of Character with Ryan Satin and talked about his current role as a heel, and how it will help him down the line as a babyface.
“I think what makes a great babyface is being a heel first. And being a heel right now only will help me be a better babyface later on in my career. I’m having a good time with it, I enjoy it. If I can make myself laugh and those around me,” Styles said, “then I’m doing something right.”
Styles talked about his thoughts going into his WWE debut, and how he worried about the possible changes to his persona. Styles has been open in the past about the fan reaction and the potential that they wouldn’t remember him. Now speaking to Satin, he says he worried about being made into a Southern stereotype and was told he might not even be “AJ Styles” at one point.
“There was talks of, ‘hey I don’t know if we can keep your name.’ I was like, ‘that’s fine, I’ll be whoever you want me to be. It’s just, I’ve got this huge tattoo on my side that says AJ. But you can call me whatever you want.’ I was worried about this southern accent that I can’t shake,” Styles explained, “Vince may want me wear overalls and come out to a little country song with a banjo. I don’t know.”
Styles also spoke about having Samoa Joe legitimately choke him out during a match, and how he remembers the feeling of being in the Coquina Clutch before passing out.
“Did [Samoa Joe] ever tell you when he finally got the Coquina Clutch on me and totally choked me out? I went to sleep in a match. Thank got it was the finish because I was asleep. He just kept it on a little bit longer. I remember thinking, ‘hey I’m about to…’ [and then passes out.]”
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