AJ Styles is once again telling wrestling fans to ease up on TKO. Speaking on the Phenomenally Retro podcast, the veteran pushed back on what he sees as reflexive negativity toward the company, pointing to its AAA partnership as proof that TKO deserves credit when it gets something right.
Styles acknowledged that TKO will naturally absorb blame when things go wrong in WWE, because the company sits at the top. But he argued that the same logic should cut both ways.
“But you’ve got to understand—that’s their job, to take the blame for everything that’s going on,” Styles said. “That’s their responsibility. Like, well, listen, we are the head of this thing, so we take all the blame.”
AJ Styles Points To AAA As A Win
The Phenomenal One said criticism is fair when TKO drops the ball, but fans should also recognize the positives. He singled out AAA as something he believes the company handled well.
“But also, if they do something right, we need to give them praise,” Styles said. “Like with Triple A—they did something right, we can praise them for that. With other things, maybe they’ve done wrong—freak it, that kind of sucked.”
Styles then rejected the idea that everything involving TKO should be treated as a negative. He added that TKO is a massive company with far more going on than just wrestling, so he avoids weighing in on matters he does not understand.
“We’re entitled to opinions and stuff like that, but at the same time, you can’t be boo-face about everything that’s going on, because there are some good things happening with TKO,” Styles said. “It’s not going to be perfect all the time—nobody is. But since it’s such a big company, and it’s not just the wrestling part, there are other things going on that are in the media that I don’t really know much about, so I just don’t say anything about it because I don’t know.”
The “TKO Defender” Baggage
The comments carry extra weight because Styles has already been labeled a “TKO defender” by fans, a tag that gives his argument its edge. He previously pushed back on that criticism over WWE adding more live events, telling critics they were making assumptions about pay cuts, scheduling, and who would actually be working those shows.
Styles’ post-retirement relationship with the promotion has been a talking point, especially after he denied claims that he is interested in a WWE producer role. For him, the message is simple: TKO can be criticized when things go wrong, but that does not mean every move deserves backlash.
