'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
AJ Styles is one of the top professional wrestling stars in the world. After a celebrated career working for TNA, ROH, New Japan, and a variety of independents, he arrived in WWE in early 2016, quickly proved his worth and establishing himself as one of the most respected and consistent stars in the promotion. He’s also quite arguably the hardest working guy in WWE.
If you’re a WWE fan, the odds are you saw AJ Styles more than once on your television this past week. Despite being a SmackDown star, he not only worked shows on an international tour for that brand and on its weekly television program but also appeared for a Raw PPV, a Raw post-PPV talk show, and on Raw itself, before returning to the blue brand as normally scheduled. That’s a schedule anyone would be hard-pressed to keep up with, let alone doing it all at a high-level.
#5 He worked through an illness
AJ Styles first made headlines this past week when he was reported as too sick to work his match in Argentina against Baron Corbin. Styles was not to be held down or stopped, however, as he went on to work WWE’s second show in Argentina before going on to perform in Chile.
Traveling such a distance only to get sick can be demoralizing to anyone, besides the toll it takes on a man’s body. It’s remarkable that he would still go on to successfully work two high-quality matches in the days to follow. Not only is Styles “Phenomenal” in the ring, but these performances are also a testament to his old school work ethic established over his career with smaller promotions.
So, Styles played international ambassador and world-class performer for WWE. Little did anyone know that he was about to embark on one of the most hectic weeks that any modern professional wrestler has faced.
#4 He flew 18 hours
Wrestlers famously travel long distances to wrestle. Styles took things to the next level, however, when he went straight from his performance in Chile to a plane to get back to the States. By then, the word had already broken that Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt were out of action due to illness and wouldn’t be able to work their heavily advertised matches for the Raw branded TLC PPV.
Kurt Angle stepped into the highest profile spot, returning to in-ring action with WWE for the first time in eleven years to team with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. Styles would more quietly fill in opposite Finn Balor.
Flying eighteen hours, only to show up for a first-time match in a fresh match with instant high expectations was no short order. Styles was up to the task of the long travel, though, and showed up in Minneapolis ready to put on a show.
#3 He put on an instant classic with Finn Balor
AJ Styles and Finn Balor travelled somewhat similar winding roads to get to WWE, including working internationally and enjoying prominent stints with New Japan Pro Wrestling. They have overlapping histories in the sense that each man played the leader for the Bullet Club stable.
However, Styles more or less stepped in to fill Balor’s role when he left for WWE, so the two actually had minimal contact on screen anywhere prior to Sunday’s TLC PPV.
In this fresh matchup, Styles and Balor each stepped up to the plate and worked a match that would have impressed fans had they worked together dozens of times before, planned ahead for it, and both been at one hundred percent.
That Styles was working sick and had travelled eighteen hours from Argentina to get there in time for the match makes what they accomplished together nothing short of incredible.
#2 He worked Raw
You’d think that after toughing out his international bookings and then showing up to save the day at the TLC PPV, WWE might cut AJ Styles some slack and let him rest for a day. Instead, he not only appeared on the Raw Talk post-show but then travelled from TLC to make the next night’s show in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
With Roman Reigns still out of action, WWE probably felt like it still needed to deliver a novel, not to mention highly talented act for Raw so fans wouldn’t be disappointed. While Kurt Angle successfully filled that spot for TLC, it’s understandable WWE would want to protect the special aura around him by not having him wrestle again so soon and on free TV.
Therefore, Styles was inserted into this match, too. While there was less pressure on him in the six-man tag format, he nonetheless showed complete professionalism and effort by shining here again.
#1 He still made it to SmackDown Live
After working two international house shows sick, flying eighteen hours, working an impromptu classic with Finn Balor, giving an interview after the show, and flying to Green Bay to work Raw, it’s all the more remarkable that Styles still showed up to work his regular spot on SmackDown the next night to wrap up his whirlwind week.
To be fair his, SmackDown match was a squash in which he submitted one of the Singh Brothers in less than a minute, so it wasn’t exactly as taxing as his other efforts over the week. Just the same, it’s remarkable that he not only made another booking but dropped right back into the storyline he’d left off on the previous Tuesday without missing a beat as if he’d done nothing but rest in between shows for the blue brand.
Make no mistake about it: AJ Styles lives up to his nickname. He is Phenomenal!
Send us news tips at [email protected]
