Career Tribute

AJ Styles — The Phenomenal One

A complete tribute to AJ Styles: TNA, NJPW, WWE Championship reigns, the Phenomenal Forearm and his place among the all-time greats.

The Most Phenomenal Career in Pro Wrestling

AJ Styles is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time — a performer whose in-ring excellence, longevity and adaptability across multiple promotions has set a standard few have matched. Born Allen Neal Jones in 1977 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, he broke through in NWA and TNA (now Impact Wrestling) before becoming a global star in NJPW and ultimately one of WWE's biggest names.

His TNA career (2002–2014) produced multiple NWA and TNA World Heavyweight Championships and helped define the X Division style of high-flying technical wrestling. His NJPW run from 2014–2015 as part of The Bullet Club cemented his legend status among international hardcore fans, producing classic matches against Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi.

His WWE debut at Royal Rumble 2016 — walking out to a stunning crowd reaction despite never appearing on WWE television before — is one of the most memorable moments of the decade. Two WWE Championship reigns, an iconic rivalry with John Cena and matches against Undertaker, Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe followed.

Greatest Matches of AJ Styles

WWE Classics

  • vs John Cena — Money in the Bank 2016 (5-star classic)
  • vs Shinsuke Nakamura — WrestleMania 34 (dream match)
  • vs Roman Reigns — Elimination Chamber 2016
  • vs Undertaker — Boneyard Match, WrestleMania 36
  • vs Samoa Joe — multiple brutal confrontations

Career Championship Wins

  • 2x WWE Champion (SmackDown era)
  • 1x United States Champion
  • IWGP Heavyweight Champion (NJPW)
  • 2x TNA World Heavyweight Champion
  • NWA World Heavyweight Champion

AJ Styles' WWE Farewell

AJ Styles' WWE farewell became one of the most emotionally resonant moments in recent WWE history. After sustaining injuries and stepping back from a full-time schedule, the Phenomenal One — already enshrined among wrestling's all-time greats — began a farewell arc that allowed him to say goodbye on his own terms.

The outpouring of appreciation from the WWE Universe reflected his standing in the business. Crowd chants of "AJ Styles!" at events he wasn't booked for, and the genuine emotion at his final appearances, demonstrated the rare bond he built with fans across every promotion he worked in.

AJ Styles Videos

Latest AJ Styles News

Good Brothers Think They Should Be The Ones To Induct AJ Styles Into WWE Hall Of Fame

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AEW STAR TRAINING WITH AJ STYLES

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AJ STYLES & KEVIN OWENS HEADING TO WWE WORLD WRESTLEMANIA WEEK AND MORE

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AEW STAR TRAINING WITH AJ STYLES

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AJ STYLES & KEVIN OWENS HEADING TO WWE WORLD WRESTLEMANIA WEEK AND MORE

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Seth Rollins Names WWE Goal After John Cena & AJ Styles’ Retirement

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AJ Styles Recalls TNA Star Abyss Almost Appearing In WWE Royal Rumble

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Jacob Fatu Opens Up About AJ Styles Bloodline Family WWE Backstage Relationship

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John Cena Says He Knew AJ Styles Was Planning to Retire Before Final WWE Match

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AJ Styles Backtracks on Plans to Shave His Head After Retirement

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AJ Styles Reveals Plans For WWE Hall Of Fame Speech

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AJ Styles Identifies What WWE's NIL Wrestlers Should Do To Catch Up

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AJ Styles plans on keeping his Hall of Fame speech ‘short and sweet’

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John Cena reflects on AJ Styles match at WWE Crown Jewel

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AJ Styles Plans To Keep His WWE Hall Of Fame Speech Short And Sweet: ‘I Do Not Want People To Hate Me Based On My Speech’

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John Cena Talks 'Moment Of Serendipity' In WWE Match With Imminent HOFer AJ Styles

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AJ Styles Intends To Keep WWE Hall Of Fame Speech 'Short & Sweet'

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WWE's AJ Styles Offers Update On Post-Retirement Life

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AEW Wanted To Sign AJ Styles

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AEW Tried To Sign AJ Styles Before His WWE Retirement

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AJ Styles is thinking about life after the ring

9 hours ago

Why the Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles rematch on Raw feels like a lazy booking move

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The Measured Transition of AJ Styles

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AJ Styles is right to worry about Will Ospreay

3 days, 8 hours ago

AJ Styles validates Will Ospreay and the wrestling world loses its mind

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AJ Styles injury status: Reality check on his physical longevity

4 days, 5 hours ago

AJ Styles is picking a weird hill to die on regarding Ludwig Kaiser

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AJ Styles finally admits he was just an expensive prop for Cody Rhodes in 2024

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AJ Styles in WWE Creative is the smartest move Triple H could make

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AJ Styles perfectly explains why Fatal Influence will succeed on SmackDown

4 weeks, 2 days ago