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AJ Styles is one of the hottest stars in the WWE at the moment. Performing for the SmackDown Live brand, he has already had multiple matches with different Superstars that have helped raise the profile of SmackDown to make it stand out from the shadow of Raw. He is indeed, the face that runs the place.
Despite the fact that he has been out of the WWE Championship title picture since his first run, he is now the US Champion and continues to raise the bar.
He can make anyone look good and he can have fantastic matches with any Superstar thrown at him. Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon, just to name a few, are some of the more recent competitors to help AJ Styles cement his legacy in the biggest wrestling company in the world.
However, there is much more to AJ Styles than just his in-ring accomplishments. He has a relatively guarded personal life but I have compiled seven photos that define the man AJ Styles is outside the ring.
#7 Family man
AJ Styles has been blessed with four children - three sons and a daughter. This picture shows a much softer side of Styles as he poses with his daughter for a classy black and white snap. He certainly doesn’t look like a man that would smash his manager’s head through a car window.
Anney Jones, AJ’s daughter, is quite clearly the light of his life and as she clutches to his necklace in this picture, it becomes clear why AJ spends 300+ days on the road, why he will be spending Christmas working and why he misses out on so much. It’s so he can provide a great life for all of his children.
It’s because of this lifestyle that he cherishes family time so much, akin to the way Kevin Owens does too. AJ certainly makes the most of his time with his children and the tranquillity in this photo certainly contrasts the hectic lifestyle he has to follow.
#6 Gamer
You may or may not have seen AJ Styles on Xavier Woods' gaming show, Up Up Down Down, but if you haven’t, let me be the first to tell you that Styles is actually a pretty big gamer.
During the SummerSlam pay-per-view, the finals of a Rocket League tournament the Superstars had competed in were shown. Styles teamed up with Charlotte and they faced Neville and Sasha Banks. Unfortunately for Styles, he was on the wrong side and ended up losing.
As you can see in the above picture, wrestlers who are into gaming have to find anytime they can to get their fix of the latest titles and they do this with portable gaming devices such as the one demonstrated here.
That is totally cool but I’m not sure I’d be able to concentrate properly on public transport but I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures.
It’s a shame he likes Xbox One over PS4 but not everyone’s perfect.
#5 Make a Wish
The Make a Wish Foundation is a fantastic organisation that gives children who have horrific illnesses and ailments a chance to meet their heroes. John Cena is one of the biggest advocates of the programme, having given the most wishes of any celebrity in history.
AJ also gives plenty of wishes though they are not as well promoted as others and in a way that makes what he does even more special because it’s fully clear he doesn’t do these things because of the publicity; he does it for the love of the fans and his passion for the people that allow him to do what he does every day.
Here AJ is seen talking to a 13-year-old backstage at a show and it’s great to see how humble he looks as he talks to a child that idolises him. This kid was from the Kids Wish Network and it shows a softer side of Styles and displays his compassion and his love for all aspects of the business.
#4 Hospital visit
On top of individual wishes, wrestlers also visit hospitals, schools and other venues to present positive messages to the younger generation.
I simply cannot find a bad story about AJ Styles when he’s at these events. It may be the case that he plays a heel on TV but it’s certainly not the case that he is a bad guy, if anything he is the complete opposite.
The smiles he puts on the faces of people are what makes the profession worth it. It is the other side to winning championships and headlining events.
#3 Airport picture!
One might say that one of the downsides of being a wrestler and having such a recognisable face, is being harassed and badgered in public places for autographs and pictures. I can’t imagine how one must feel after touring for months and spending hours travelling with little to no sleep to then give more time to fans that just want to catch a glimpse of their hero.
The tragic part of this story is that one month to the day of the photo, the little boy named Nicky was involved in an accident that left him brain-dead and he couldn't make it. Soon after, Nicky's parent sent a touching letter to AJ Styles, who responded with kindness, stating that he was thankful for the moment he had. You can read more about it here.
It was recently a bone of contention with Sasha Banks who is known for ignoring fans, and not being very happy to see people. Many people have posted pictures of them with her and she has a face which didn't look very cheery.
AJ, in this photo, is clearly tired and drained, having probably got off another long flight on his way to or from a show, but still gave this kid a picture to remember even throwing up the Kliq symbol.
Pure class.
#2 Encouraging Dad
Earlier in the article, I mentioned that AJ has four children and we covered his daughter Anney Styles. He also has three sons, Avery, Albey and Ajay (fitting right?) who are all making waves in school with their sporting accomplishments. Styles is reported to be an extremely encouraging father and is helping his sons reach their potential as he has in his profession.
As you can see from the pictures, the children’s bedrooms must be packed with trophies due to their accomplishments. It would appear that Styles tries to get to each event as much as he can, in spite of the intensity of his own job. It’s a well-known fact that families do become neglected when you are one of the top stars in the company.
As Triple H said in the first series of Tough Enough, you are a Superstar, but when you get home, you’ve then got to be Supermum, Superdad. There are no days off, but Styles looks like he’s doing an amazing job and has kids to be proud of. These pictures are a great insight into his personal life away from the ring.
#1 Champion
The last picture moves away from AJ’s softer side and shows how much he cares about the job he does and how proud he is to be so successful as a wrestler. When he wins a title, the hard work and dedication pays off and AJ carries that belt everywhere, usually posing with it in pictures outside public places.
Here we see him posing with the IWGP title, a promotion he ruled when he was the leader of the Bullet Club. He cherishes these championships; there was also a picture of him in public with the WWE Championship after he shocked the world and became the top man in WWE too!
There is no doubt that AJ Styles is an excellent family man, has strong moral values and his faith in God, and his religion has allowed him to cherish every moment he has, be it with a championship in front of 50,000 fans or watching his sons dominate their school sports.
Don’t change AJ, you really are the face that runs the place.
