AJ Styles has questioned whether some of today’s younger wrestlers have the same level of hunger he possessed while coming up through the business.
During an appearance on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About?, the two discussed old-school wrestling etiquette and traditions that have been passed down through the independent scene.
“It feels like it’s this old thing that the indies kept, that no longer is how we say things anymore,” Rhodes said.
Styles agreed, explaining that he has noticed significant changes in the mentality of some younger wrestlers compared to his own experience.
“And I agree. There’s a lot of things passed down the wrong way, especially on the indies. It’s like it’s changed. It’s not the same. It’s not what you think. Yeah, and you can look at it and see that it’s definitely has changed. The hunger, to me, to some, it’s not the same. Like I was dying to get anything I possibly could, and I don’t think it’s like that as much anymore. You know, I wanted it all. You know, these kids talk about the smoke. I wanted every ounce of it. Whatever was there, I wanted it all, and I just don’t know if it’s like that anymore. I don’t know if they are as hungry as I was, and maybe I was too obsessive because I’ve learned through talking to other people that, no, AJ was different. Like, oh, I thought everybody was this way. Yeah, they weren’t, which explains a lot, you know,” Styles said.
Rhodes suggested that Styles may have been unusually obsessive about succeeding, but also questioned whether there was any other way to reach that level.
“Maybe you were too obsessive, but there’s no other way to be, right?” Rhodes replied.
Styles explained that professional wrestling was his only plan and credited that mentality with allowing him to build a career spanning nearly three decades.
“I didn’t have a plan B,” Styles said. “This is all I had. This is all I wanted. This is the only thing I knew that I could do, and you know, and I’m able to have retired after 27 years because I had that mentality.”
Styles also emphasized the importance of gaining experience inside the ring, saying he learned something from everyone he worked with throughout his career.
“Everybody I ever stepped into the ring with, I learned from literally everybody,” he said. “The more experience you have, the better you’re going to get because you’re going to wrestle some guys that are absolutely trash, and you’ll know after working them what you should have done better to help the match be, you know, somewhat good.”
According to Styles, the competitive drive that pushes wrestlers throughout their careers doesn’t necessarily disappear once they step away from the ring.
“You still have this whatever it is inside of you that you’re never going to be able to get out,” Styles said. “Stone Cold still has it. Undertaker still has it, even though they’re retired from the ring. Yeah, they still have it, man. It’s not going to go anywhere. You just can’t get rid of it.”
