AJ Styles Reveals Why He Left Impact Wrestling

Well before AJ Styles became the face of SmackDown, he was the poster boy for TNA—now Impact Wrestling. And if not for a pathetic contract offer, the WWE Champion could still be in the Impact Zone.

In an interview with Title Match Wrestling, Styles was asked about the rumored low-ball offer—believed to be a 60% pay cut—Impact extended him in 2015.

“I think that bit- saying 60% is being generous, to be honest with you. It’s kinda crazy when that is the first offer, like ‘wait, what? That doesn’t make any sense. I’ve worked here for 11 years, and hard for 11 years. I haven’t gotten less popular here at TNA. I’ve been more popular, especially the last year. So I don’t know what’s going on. This doesn’t make sense to me.’”

Styles couldn’t accept the offer and opted to tour the independent wrestling promotions of the world, most notably NJPW before debuting at the 2016 Royal Rumble.

“I’ve been a company guy for 11 years. That is exactly who I’ve been. I’ve always protected and took up for TNA. I’ve been that guy. I’m in the final years of my career- the prime of my career. I’ve learned so much and I might’ve delivered exactly what they want better now than ever. When it comes right down to it, this is what I do for a living. This is what I use to support my family. So because they want me to take a [lower] paycheck so I can be a TNA guy- that doesn’t concern me right now. I’m a family man, that’s my job. My job is to take care of them,” he said.

Styles explained that it’s hard to keep your money as a wrestler, making Impacts tiny offer all the more unattractive.

“Everybody thinks we make these millions of dollars, but that’s not how it works. That’s not what we do. The fact of the reality is that you’ve gotta pay your agent; you’ve gotta pay to be on the road. All these things come into play in that you have to pay your own taxes. The reality is that it’s never as much as people think. I’m not about to take a pay cut after everything I’ve done- all the blood, all the sweat and all the tears- that’s a reality,” said.

Styles would actually admit that if Impact had simply offered his old contract he wouldn’t have stayed. But since the numbers were so low, it gave him all the justification he needed to bounce.

“I am mature enough in my career and in who I am to not be pushed around; not be bullied and take a lesser pay because I’ve worked hard and because you’ve made a mistake- because TNA mismanaged their money and I have to pay the price. That’s not how it works. I will not take a backhanded slap like that,” he said.

According to Forbes, Styles made $3.5 million in 2017, a tsunami of money compared to what Impact could have ever paid him.

“I know who I am as a professional wrestler and I am successful with what I’ve done, no matter what anybody thinks. You know, being successful means I get the opportunity to pay off my house. I think that’s a pretty big thing in my life because I didn’t have what my parents- my parents didn’t have what I’ve had. I’ve done something better than them. That to me is [what] being successful [means.] You know, [I] grew up in the trailer park. You’d better believe it. I’ve learned from my parents’ mistakes. You can either follow in their footsteps or learn from their mistakes- and that is what I’ve done. I’m successful because of it,” he said.

[H/T Ringside News]