The Official AJ STYLES in WWE Thread (A date with the Deadman?)

[mrken12]

it's pathetic really, but the entire reason and agenda of Vince/HHH signing A.J. was to belittle his career and bury him.

hopefully those paychecks are in the seven figures to justify putting up with this type of disrespect

AJ knew what he was getting into. I'm sure he's fine with all of this as long as the checks are good.

 

[InstantKlassik]

I think they are gonna let AJ win the first fall at MITB but not clean. Then they're gonna have Cena win the rematch at Summerslam in some kind of special stipulation match.

 

[stro]

I knew sooner or later an aj/cena interaction was gonna go down.

They should've waited on that heel turn and this fued. Way too premature.

I expect aj to carry cena to a couple of good matches as Cena comes out on top like he usually does.

It's perfect timing. Roster split is coming in a month, they're low on heels, Ammo Depot going to run SD, AJ figuring out he was better with his bros than without, making a statement against Cena...it couldn't have gone any better. There doesn't always have to be months and months of build up to something. In AJ's case, a slow build to the turn would have hurt the segment because everyone would have seen it coming.

Instead, he instantly became the top heel of the company (blowing Rollins out of the water on the spot) and is primed to be one of the key dudes running whichever brand he ends up on. Losing to Cena doesn't matter, just like losing to Hogan didn't matter. What matters is how they're booked after losing to the top guy, and WWE really has no choice but to keep AJ strong because they need him to be a top star for one of the brands. Turning him heel (and having his own stable) keeps him out of the phantom zone that Sami/KO/Cesaro types have been stuck in for the past year.

 

[PYRRHUS 88]

it's pathetic really, but the entire reason and agenda of Vince/HHH signing A.J. was to belittle his career and bury him.

hopefully those paychecks are in the seven figures to justify putting up with this type of disrespect

Do you honestly believe that Vince McMahon and/or Paul Leveque decided to recruit AJ Styles from Japan, signing him to (by all accounts) a very lucrative contract, solely with the intention to destroy his career? And that, having hatched this dastardly scheme, decided that the most effective way to enact AJ's demise would be to give him one of the most awesome surprise debuts in a generation, insert him directly into the upper tier of the roster and afford him the opportunity to showcase his abilities in high profile main event matches with the top guys in the company?

 

[3Rivers]

 

[Here Comes the Pain]

It's perfect timing. Roster split is coming in a month, they're low on heels, Ammo Depot going to run SD, AJ figuring out he was better with his bros than without, making a statement against Cena...it couldn't have gone any better. There doesn't always have to be months and months of build up to something. In AJ's case, a slow build to the turn would have hurt the segment because everyone would have seen it coming.

Instead, he instantly became the top heel of the company (blowing Rollins out of the water on the spot) and is primed to be one of the key dudes running whichever brand he ends up on. Losing to Cena doesn't matter, just like losing to Hogan didn't matter. What matters is how they're booked after losing to the top guy, and WWE really has no choice but to keep AJ strong because they need him to be a top star for one of the brands. Turning him heel (and having his own stable) keeps him out of the phantom zone that Sami/KO/Cesaro types have been stuck in for the past year.

Aj hasn't really been booked too strong. He hasn't won a fued since he got there.

Him being matches in the upper card doesn't really mean he's being booked strongly considering he's one of the best wrestlers of this generation.

Dude was over as a face and they turned him heel so he can put Cena over.

 

[PYRRHUS 88]

Aj hasn't really been booked too strong. He hasn't won a fued since he got there.

Him being matches in the upper card doesn't really mean he's being booked strongly considering he's one of the best wrestlers of this generation.

Dude was over as a face and they turned him heel so he can put Cena over.

Isn't that kind of a prerequisite for an (impactful) heel turn? Turning a guy who people already hate or who nobody gives a fukk about is hardly going to end up on a highlight clip with Shawn throwing Marty through the barbershop window

 

[3Rivers]

Probably will be the usual even steven scenario:ppvbro1:but I feel like A) As long as he's getting paid and B) He feels a good story is being told, AJ will be alright with his booking

 

[RammerJammer]

Probably will be the usual even steven scenario:ppvbro1:but I feel like A) As long as he's getting paid and B) He feels a good story is being told, AJ will be alright with his booking

I feel like AJ's run is gonna be similar to Shawn Michaels' 2nd run. One title run but mostly five star matches

 

[Ill Lou Malnati]

Isn't that kind of a prerequisite for an (impactful) heel turn? Turning a guy who people already hate or who nobody gives a fukk about is hardly going to end up on a highlight clip with Shawn throwing Marty through the barbershop window

It's only impactful if you let the freshly turned heel gain some momentum. I have a feeling that won't be happening, which will make the turn pointless.

 

[stro]

Aj hasn't really been booked too strong. He hasn't won a fued since he got there.

Him being matches in the upper card doesn't really mean he's being booked strongly considering he's one of the best wrestlers of this generation.

Dude was over as a face and they turned him heel so he can put Cena over.

And yet, despite not being booked strong (which is fukking ridiculous, dude came in with zero WWE experience and immediately was talked up as one of the best in the world for over a decade, and was paired up with Roman and now Cena not even 4 months into his WWE career), it hasn't impacted his popularity in the least. Nor will this heel turn or losing to Cena.

I'm fukking astounded at how myopic and dumb "smart" wrestling fans are online. People acting like working a program with Cena is bad for your career and paycheck. People outright saying AJ should quit instead of drop falls. Like... ...do y'all people not understand this shyt is fake and he's getting paid a ton of money?

 

[julesocean]

Aj hasn't really been booked too strong. He hasn't won a fued since he got there.

Him being matches in the upper card doesn't really mean he's being booked strongly considering he's one of the best wrestlers of this generation.

Dude was over as a face and they turned him heel so he can put Cena over.

I think in this case, where he's been with the company less than half a year, and has already been in a main event program with the world champ for 2 PPVs straight, and set to main event Smackdown with Cena for the foreseeable future, he's been booked hella strong. It's been enjoyable for me to watch, as he's been great in the ring, been in pretty decent storylines, and is getting more and more spotlight with each month.

Did he really come out looking weaker to you when he lost to someone who is supposed to be the "best" in the promotion? Storyline wise, he earned those matches, and is to be viewed as the second best wrestler on the roster. Think about that, they made him second best out of how many guys in WWE/NXT, after only being active for SIX WEEKS.

If that isn't strong booking, I dunno what you want from them.

 

[Here Comes the Pain]

And yet, despite not being booked strong (which is fukking ridiculous, dude came in with zero WWE experience and immediately was talked up as one of the best in the world for over a decade, and was paired up with Roman and now Cena not even 4 months into his WWE career), it hasn't impacted his popularity in the least. Nor will this heel turn or losing to Cena.

I'm fukking astounded at how myopic and dumb "smart" wrestling fans are online. People acting like working a program with Cena is bad for your career and paycheck. People outright saying AJ should quit instead of drop falls. Like... ...do y'all people not understand this shyt is fake and he's getting paid a ton of money?

Dude is experience in wrestling period and they said he's one of the best because he is one of the best.

Being in the upper card and having good matches is a given when you're the biggest name from the indy scene and arguably the greatest wrestler of your generation.

I never said anything about it affecting his popularity, but it's stupid to throw him in a fued with Cena when he has absolutely no momentum going for himself.

At least let him win a couple of fueds before you throw him in a fued with Cena

The club is finally official and the first fued is a fued against Cena.

It's hilarious that you're talking about dumb smart wrestling fans when that description fits you perfectly.

 

[stro]

The idea that AJ doesn't have momentum going for himself

Dood is the hottest guy on the entire roster. That means he has the most momentum. Winning or losing his feuds before Cena don't mean dikk. He has enough momentum to be paired with Cena for the Summer. It didn't hurt him when he lost to Jericho. It didn't hurt him when he lost to Roman. It didn't hurt him when he lost to KO. He gained MORE popularity and momentum, in fact. And he won't be hurt when he inevitably loses to Cena.

 

[Here Comes the Pain]

The idea that AJ doesn't have momentum going for himself

Dood is the hottest guy on the entire roster. That means he has the most momentum. Winning or losing his feuds before Cena don't mean dikk. He has enough momentum to be paired with Cena for the Summer. It didn't hurt him when he lost to Jericho. It didn't hurt him when he lost to Roman. It didn't hurt him when he lost to KO. He gained MORE popularity and momentum, in fact. And he won't be hurt when he inevitably loses to Cena.

He hasn't won a fued since he got there. We all know the dude is credible/popular, but he has no momentum heading into this fued and he'll have no momentum coming out of this fued.

Facts