WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles says he has no interest in criticizing either WWE or AEW, explaining that his respect lies with the performers in both companies.
Speaking on his podcast, Styles addressed the tribalism that often exists among wrestling fans and made it clear that he is committed to supporting the company he works for without tearing down the competition. “I like the company that I work for, despite what everybody else thinks. I’m not like, ‘Oh, there’s a company stooge.’ Dude, my job is to do the best for the company that I’m working for.”
“No matter which company I work for, my job is to do the best for it, and I’m going to do that. That’s just who I am.”
Styles emphasized that when he defends WWE, he’s really standing up for the people behind the scenes and in the locker room. “Again, I’ve said this before: it’s not me protecting WWE. It’s me protecting the people that work for WWE—my peers, and the guys and women that I care about there.”
“So I’m going to defend them because I know they’re busting their tails to put on a great show.”
At the same time, Styles made it clear he has no desire to take shots at AEW, saying the wrestlers there are working just as hard. “I’m not going to bash AEW because those guys are doing the exact same thing. They’re trying to do their own thing, trying to be different, and I get it. So I’m not going to do that. That’s not what I’m about.”
Styles concluded by encouraging fans to simply enjoy whichever promotion they prefer rather than attacking the other. “I think, to each their own. If you like one company and don’t like the other, good. But there’s no reason to just bash them because they’re different shows. I’m not going to do that.”
