AJ Styles explains why he turned down an opportunity to sign with WWE in 2002
During an interview with the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, WWE star AJ Styles explained why he turned down an opportunity to sign with WWE in 2002…
“Listen, this was hard for me because of course I wanted to make it in WWE. I wanted to at least train to be better. And I went up there and I had a decent training, I guess you’d say — you know, they just kind of go out there. And they offered me the deal. And mind you, I had to move to Cincinnati for $500 a week. And I know this is a couple years ago, so it’s not terrible money, but I was also making that at my regular job, right? And they took out taxes, you know.
Actually, my first job when I went to WWE, I was delivering bottled water. By the time I got to the tryout with WWE, I was a non-emergency ambulance driver, which means I had a van and I’d go pick up people from the nursing home mostly and take them to the doctor for their appointments. And as crazy as it sounds, it was one of my favorite jobs because of the older folks I got to talk to and interact with and say hello to. So I really actually enjoyed that job.
But again, my wife was in college to be a school teacher, and I just didn’t think it was right for me to go off and leave her, with her moving back into her parents’ house. Like, that is not how a husband does things. And so I made sure that we put her priorities — her dream — first, and then let’s just see what happens. And you know what? It turned out to be the best thing I could have done.”