WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles appeared on an episode of his Phenomenally Retro podcast, where he discussed various topics, including the wrestling styles that influenced him growing up.
Styles said, “I definitely liked the guys that came off the top row. Like, I remember Flying Brian [Pillman]. I thought he was really cool. Anytime — I don’t know why, I was always intrigued with like anybody from Japan, they came out like with stuff over there like Great Muta. Like, he was so cool. It was hard to hate that guy, even though he was the bad guy because he was so cool. So yeah, I was drawn to that the guys who came off the top rope for sure.”
On studying the older generation:
“Once I got back got into wrestling when I wanted to do this as a career, I went back and watched all the old stuff that I possibly could. And still do to this very day, I just enjoy it. And just looking back and seeing so many guys that — and you know, when we talk about the basic stuff. And I think in comparison it was definitely a little bit more basic compared to what we’re doing now. But their selling was far from basic. Their selling was unbelievable. Which, I think is the hardest part in wrestling is to sell, not necessarily the moves. So I still go back and watch that, and a lot of the little things I’m like, ‘Oh my god, that was awesome.’ And it wasn’t anything big off the top rope. It was the little things they did that I was like, ‘Man, I wish I would have thought of that.’”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
