Ring Rust Radio: Many fans consider you the pound for pound best wrestler in the world. What does that mean to you and who do you feel is your strongest or biggest competition for that honor?
AJ Styles: It’s tough to even accept something like that because you are only as good as the guys you get in the ring with. For them to say that it makes me feel good. There are so many guys out there that I think are better like Samoa Joe, Nakamura, Tanahashi, Okada, Jay Lethal, these guys have earned that right to be called the best. Not to proclaim it themselves, but for others to give them that name. It’s an honor, but I don’t think I can accept because there are so many other great wrestlers out there.
Ring Rust Radio: Many wrestling fans would love to see you in WWE’s NXT brand. There have been recent rumors about your interest level, but is a run with NXT something that interests you and would seeing several familiar faces booked well make the jump easier?
AJ Styles: I’m going to be honest with you guys: The thing that makes wrestling most interesting to me is going to be the business that occurs after the match is over. A lot of people frown on that and say money isn’t everything. Well I say it depends on how much you have saved. My goal when I retire is to not be in a wheel chair or walk with a limp. Wherever I go, I will do my best, work harder than anybody there, and that’s just what I do. I only have one gear and if someone is looking for that and I can support my family while doing it, then that is what I will do.
Ring Rust Radio: A lot of wrestlers look at WWE as the ultimate goal, and maybe feel like there’s a void in their career if they don’t make it to that point. From your perspective, what more do you need to do to ensure that your career’s complete? Is WWE part of that equation?
AJ Styles: It’s not, it really isn’t. I get to work in the Tokyo Dome on January 4th in front of thousands and thousands of people. That’s pretty awesome. I don’t know about you guys, but the first time I watched New Japan and saw them walk down that long ramp to the ring it was unbelievable. The fact that I get to do that, that is my wrestling moment. I wouldn’t say I would never go to WWE, but if it didn’t happen I wouldn’t go, “Oh man, I missed out. I’m the one guy that missed out.”
Ring Rust Radio: There are a lot of dreams matches fans would love to see from you, but if you could or could have wrestled anybody in history, which would be your top choice? What is your ultimate dream match?
AJ Styles: I think I am going to get the opportunity to have one of my dream matches. I have never wrestled Rey Mysterio one on one. We are going to be in England at Five Star and we are finally going to get the chance to lock up. I’m looking forward to that match, I think it’s going to be fun, and it’s going to be entertaining. It’s Rey Mysterio, this guy is amazing. To be able to step in the ring with him, it’s kind of a dream come true for me. Not because I have watched him for so many years, but he is such a great guy and I never had the opportunity to have that match with him. I would have loved to wrestle Eddie Guerrero, but obviously that can’t happen. I think Rey Mysterio is definitely a big one for me.
Ring Rust Radio: What are your impressions of Lucha Underground and is that something that you may be interested in working for?
AJ Styles: Again, where ever the business takes me that is where I will go. Lucha Underground does great and crazy stuff over there, and it’s a little bit of what we talked about with doing something different. Where ever the business takes me, that’s where I am going to go.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
