3 Possible backstage figures who want AJ Styles out of WWE

Right before facing El Grande Americano on last night's episode of WWE RAW, AJ Styles cut a seemingly worked-shoot promo in the ring during the commercial break, referencing someone in the back who doesn't want him in WWE. Styles said that since he was talking during an ad break, he'd share something off-air with the Milwaukee crowd that he was not supposed to be talking about.

The Phenomenal One even namedropped Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson and how he did not have them as backup anymore, implying that it was a deliberate move to keep Styles from winning the big matches. The entire ordeal was somewhat weird, and yet, it seems to be leading to something massive, as AJ heads into seemingly the last few months of his career as a professional wrestler.

The biggest question coming out from Styles' promo was this: Who wants AJ Styles out of WWE? In this article, we will attempt to answer that question, as we posit three influential backstage figures who might be conspiring against the former WWE Champion:

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#3. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

This may be quite a surprising pick, but let us look back at an interview Styles did with Sports Illustrated just days after WrestleMania last year, when The Rock was a hot topic in wrestling circles. Expressing interest in a potential feud and match with Johnson, Styles had said:

“I’m interested, but only if that means The Rock is turning babyface. I’m not interested in being a mediocre bad guy. I want to bring this to a whole new level.” [H/T: SI.com]

At the time, Styles was obviously a heel, fresh off a fantastic match against Cody Rhodes at WWE Backlash in Lyon. Styles is now a beloved babyface once again, while The Final Boss, despite not having been seen on WWE TV since John Cena's heel turn at Elimination Chamber, remains despised by the WWE Universe due to his role, or lack thereof, in the lead-up to WrestleMania 41.

The Rock is still not officially retired from WWE, and looking at his schedule, it would be wise to keep him away from John Cena, Cody Rhodes, or Roman Reigns going forward.

A one-on-one match with AJ Styles, or perhaps a mini-feud that leads to someone being The Rock's liaison and feuding with Styles, would be fresher and would make sense considering The Final Boss is expected to be involved in some form or fashion at Wrestlepalooza, which will mark WWE's debut on ESPN.

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#2. AJ Styles might have been alluding to Triple H during his promo last night

Paul "Triple H" Levesque has been running the show for over three years now, and fans have been upset at how he has presented AJ Styles during this time. In 2022, Triple H brought back Gallows and Anderson to WWE after a stint in AEW, NJPW, and IMPACT, only for them to be grossly underutilized and eventually released again earlier this year.

The story of Triple H handicapping AJ Styles would be an interesting one, as he aims to fight through the odds stacked against him by the WWE management, so to speak, and particularly The Game. Within the story, Paul Levesque could be portrayed as the man who released The Good Brothers. This does make sense, considering he does have the final call with regard to creative decisions in the company. Triple H could turn this into a storyline where AJ Styles becomes an anti-authority figure.

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#1. Paul Heyman

It is no secret that Paul Heyman is a very influential figure backstage in WWE and is instrumental in WWE's long-term creative direction, even on-screen, despite not necessarily having an official role at all times. Back in 2019, he was the Executive Director of RAW for a short while, during which Styles was relegated to the United States Championship picture. During this time, The Good Brothers weren't presented as a significant threat either.

When Gallows and Anderson were released from WWE due to budget cuts during the pandemic, AJ Styles accused Paul Heyman of what many have previously accused him of, too: being a "bold-faced liar." According to the former WWE Champion, Heyman had previously told AJ (during the pandemic) that "he would have fought for them," had he been aware that The Good Brothers were about to be released.

Instead, Heyman later denied any knowledge of their impending departure, and Styles was, in fact, convinced that The Oracle was actually the key figure behind their release.

With AJ Styles' retirement nearing, WWE could begin a story in which Paul Heyman wants The Phenomenal One out of the company as soon as possible. This may lead to a feud with Seth Rollins and The Vision, with the return of Gallows and Anderson for a short term also possible.

Whether AJ Styles ends up being the one who goes on to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Seth Rollins to go on one last run as the top guy, or The Visionary retires The Phenomenal One, it remains to be seen, but this arc could be a fascinating one to concoct and watch unfold. To clarify, Styles and Heyman, per their own admission, don't have any major real-life heat anymore.