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AJ Styles says Vince McMahon didn’t know who he was when he debuted with WWE in 2016

Aaron Rift

While speaking to Tyler Breeze on Fanatics Live, AJ Styles discussed his debut with WWE at the Royal Rumble in 2016. Styles revealed that Vince McMahon, referred to as “redacted” during the interview, didn’t know who he was…

“I think I’m 37 when I come to WWE. The redacted name did not know me. He had no clue who I was. I think it was guys who had worked with me, probably with TNA and whatnot, that were able to say, ‘Let this guy come in third at the Rumble.’ Finally, he’s like, ‘Fine, let him.’ Then, the reaction happened, but he still didn’t believe it. He was like, ‘it’s a fluke.’

The next night, I had a match and it was okay but it wasn’t anything special. He’s like, ‘I have 100 guys who can do what you just did.’ What he was saying was true. I was trying to be something that is trying to be the babyface. I should have just been AJ Styles. He told me what he wanted and I was like, ‘I know that guy.'” (quote courtesy of Jeremy Lambert)