Before becoming a WWE legend, AJ Styles had an opportunity to join the company much earlier—but he turned it down for one simple reason: the money wasn’t worth it. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Styles recalled how WWE offered him a developmental contract in 2001 after WCW folded.
“They offered me $500 a week to move to Cincinnati, Ohio,” Styles said. “I was already making $500 a week delivering bottled water, and I didn’t have to move or pay more in taxes.”
Another key factor in his decision? His wife. Styles was no longer flying solo, and had to think about his eventual family life.
“They said I’d have to move, but my wife couldn’t come with me. That was a deal-breaker,” he explained.
Instead of taking WWE’s offer, Styles carved his own path in the independent scene and later became a top star in TNA.
“As much as I wanted to train with them, it just didn’t make sense,” he said. “Looking back, I think I made the right choice.”
Interestingly, the developmental territory WWE wanted him to join—HWA—was shut down shortly after.
“I wouldn’t have made it through that cut,” Styles admitted. “Things worked out the way they were supposed to.”
And they certainly did.
