The Kurt Angle Show - AJ Styles [Show Notes] (Patreon)

AJ was one of the top guys in TNA before you had joined and his reputation as one of the best wrestlers in TNA but the knock on him was he was an X division guy with no character. When you first meet AJ and see his work in person or on TV…do you think that was a fair assessment of him?

When you join TNA is AJ one of those guys who comes up to you and is excited about having you in the company and tells you he can’t wait to wrestle you or do you think he had a chip on his shoulder regarding another “WWE” guy joining TNA?

What was your first impression of AJ in the ring?

There are various ways to ask this question but I’ll be point blank about it Kurt - what was it like putting a match together with AJ when you first got into TNA?

Was he easy to work with … able to be led … wanted to learn … or as a lot of people like to say on the internet … “wanted to get his shit in?”

You work with AJ for the first time and we’ve covered this match in the past in the archives on your jump to TNA so be sure to check it out - is in a tag match where AJ teams with Samoa Joe against you & Rhino. Are you blown away by AJ?

Your first one-on-one match with AJ is on Impact on January 15th, 2007. You get the win in 8 minutes. Did you know when this match takes place that you’ll work AJ probably another 100 times in your career?

Your first pay-per-view match against AJ is the Lockdown 2007 main event which we just covered. You’ve been in the company at this point for 6 months…how is your relationship with AJ building? Were you becoming friendly or already friendly?

You find yourself on the opposite end of a lot of tag matches, normal tags and 6-man tags, until later that year AJ is put with you as part of the Angle Alliance. Is it better to be on the other side of AJ’s matches than on his own side?

What did you think of AJ’s character development at this time? Was he getting more comfortable with being good at everything?

Your first big time pay-per-view singles match between you & AJ at TNA Slammiversary in 2008 from Mississippi and AJ gets the big win over you in 23 minutes. This is a big win for AJ at the time and one of your few losses in a singles match. Are you happy to put AJ over in this way?

You’re working AJ Styles a lot on the house shows in 2008 and he’s getting the win over you at all of them. The difference in AJ working with you here compared to when you get into the company…how much better was he at this point?

In August of 2008 you have a 3 match series with AJ that is tremendous. It starts at Hard Justice with a Last Man Standing match which AJ gets the win and then he defeats you in an Olympic Style match for your gold medal and then a ladder match again for your gold medal which he wins again. AJ is getting the major push here…did he deserve it in your mind?

You head to New Japan and in consecutive nights you team with Masahiro Chono and then Shinsuke Nakamura to take on AJ Styles and he teams with Shinjiro Otani and then Hiroshi Tanahashi. How comfortable are you making sure you’re in the ring with AJ?

In 2009 AJ wins the TNA World title from you in a 5-way that also involved Hernandez, Matt Morgan and Sting at No Surrender. It’s hard not to think AJ is the guy who TNA developed into a star more than anyone else right?

The night Hulk Hogan debuts on TNA you’re in the main event against AJ for the TNA title and AJ retains his title with a win over you after Ric Flair’s help. How important is it in your mind for AJ to get that win on what is really the biggest night in TNA’s history at that point?

Had AJ ever come to you and said do you think I should be exploring my options? Did you think he would be able to succeed in WWE?

You guys even become tag team champions in TNA defeating Christopher Daniels & Kazarian in June of  2012. You’ve said before you think AJ was the best person you’ve ever been in the ring with…when did you come to that decision? Before this, around this, or after this?

You and AJ finish up your run in TNA with three matches and I’d like to break them down with you.

At Slammiversary in 2013 you defeated AJ in Boston. At this point in time did you know AJ was on his way out of TNA?

Just a few nights later you defeat him in the Bound for Glory semifinals which will be the last TNA TV match you two have together.

Is AJ coming to you for advice? Is he discussing his contract negotiations with TNA at the time with you?

Do you think it’s a bad sign for TNA when AJ & them are unable to reach an agreement?

Your last match with AJ is at BaseBrawl…a house show in Pennsylvania and you get the win. Did you think at that time it was going to be the last time you were wrestling AJ?

AJ goes on to New Japan and becomes a bigger star there than he ever was in TNA in my opinion as a big time member of the Bullet Club before he heads to the WWE. Did you get a chance to see any of AJ’s stuff in New Japan?

AJ eventually debuts with WWE at the Royal Rumble in 2016 and is immediately put into a big-time spot. Within a few months he’s wrestling Chris Jericho at WrestleMania, main events Payback the next month against Roman Reigns in a WWE Title match, and even defeated John Cena at SummerSlam. He’ll win the WWE World Title the next month over Dean Ambrose…now known as Jon Moxley. There was no doubt in your mind AJ was going to be a superstar in the WWE right?

When you return to WWE you had to be excited to see AJ again right?

Did you guys hold a relationship together when you weren’t in the same company?

How close were you and AJ?

Your last singles match before your WrestleMania retirement against Baron Corbin you got to work AJ on SmackDown. How big was that for you? Was that something you requested or creative?

You and AJ are the only two wrestlers to become a TNA/Impact and WWE Triple crown winner. That’s a pretty big deal isn’t it?

What can we say about AJ Styles that we haven’t already?