AJ Styles enjoyed one of the most successful WWE Championship reigns of the modern era, but according to the WWE Hall of Famer, carrying the title for more than a year eventually became mentally and physically exhausting.
Speaking on The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, Styles reflected on his 371-day WWE Championship reign and explained why he actually felt relieved when it finally came to an end.
Styles won his second WWE Championship by defeating Jinder Mahal in November 2017 and spent the next year serving as the centerpiece of SmackDown.
While discussing the demands that come with being the face of a brand, Styles admitted that the responsibility can become overwhelming. “I can speak from experience. Being a champion for a year is exhausting.”
According to Styles, the pressure extends far beyond simply competing in matches. “It is because I feel like they’re saying, ‘Hey, man, we’re counting on you to put butts in seats.’”
He continued by describing the workload that comes with being champion. “So you go out there every week to put on unbelievable matches and do the media and everything that goes around with that, and it’s exhausting. It can get you.”
By the end of the reign, Styles said he had reached a point where he was ready to hand over the championship to someone else. “I remember getting beat by Daniel Bryan and going, ‘Thank God.’”
He recalled feeling an immediate sense of relief when the title changed hands. “I was just like, ‘Dude, just take it.’”
Styles explained that the burden of being champion weighed heavily on him because of how seriously he viewed the role. “I was exhausted, and the biggest weight was lifted off my shoulders because I felt like I had the most important job when it came to SmackDown.”
For Styles, that responsibility extended to every aspect of the brand. “It was to put on the show every time and be on everything I possibly could. It was a lot.”
The historic reign officially ended on the November 2018 edition of SmackDown when Daniel Bryan defeated Styles to capture the WWE Championship.
The title change also marked a major turning point in Bryan’s career, as he turned heel during the match by delivering a low blow before finishing Styles with the Running Knee.
Bryan’s victory brought Styles’ 371-day reign to a close, ending one of the longest WWE Championship runs of the modern era and paving the way for Bryan’s acclaimed “Planet’s Champion” character.
While the reign remains one of the defining accomplishments of Styles’ WWE career, the former champion’s comments offer a rare glimpse into the pressure that comes with carrying a company’s top championship for an extended period.
As successful as the run was, Styles admits that by the end, he was simply ready for someone else to carry the load.
