AJ Styles Discusses Why He’s Not in TNA, His Plans for ROH, WWE Future

Former TNA star AJ Styles chatted with ThisIsInfamous.com recently to talk about his move to Ring of Honor and the happenings with his former employer. Among some of the highlights of the interview:

Why he isn’t in TNA anymore:

“I think that the reason why all this happened is probably of all of the changes that have happened in TNA as far as upper management.  A lot of things have changed as far as moving back to Orlando and not doing as many pay-per-views, a lot of things have changed and I think that was the reason behind us getting to this point where we had to separate, where things just didn’t work out, which is the bottom line.  Communication, maybe there was a breakdown there, TNA knew my contract was coming up and it was hard for us to figure out how we were going to deal with this, and literally we didn’t know, or I didn’t know, what the case was until almost the very end of the contract, until we started actually negotiating and it was hard within that time to reach an agreement, and while we didn’t reach an agreement it is surreal for me right now that I’m not with the company that I literally grew up in, but there’s no hard feelings, I’m not grumpy it’s the wrestling business and sometimes it goes this way.  It’s not like it’s done forever, it’s over forever, I left the door open and one day I’ll be back, but maybe not.  This is the wrestling business and if you can’t work something out you’ve got to move on and keep working.”

On whether he knows how long he will be staying in Ring of Honor:

“Not yet.  I think that’s still a work in progress to see how much we’re going to work together.  I mean it may be one of those deals where it will be my new home, and I have a lot of respect for Ring of Honor so if that’s the case then I’m all about it and in helping them grow.  Cause that’s the bottom line, is that we do have the relationship where I can help them get better and bigger and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.  And it’s not something that I’m just saying, because there are a lot of people who have done that, said they want to help a business grow but maybe they were out for the money or what not, that’s not the case, sure I want to make money, but if the business grows that’s exactly what’s going to happen, everyone will get to make a little bit more money.”

About WWE’s developmental territory and if the company had any interest in him.

“I wish there was, but there’s not.  I understand where they’re coming from as far as not contacting me, cause they’ve got other things going on. That’s fine with me, I’m content with where I am right now and whatever happens, happens.  There’s been no communication whatsoever, so people can say what they want, if they don’t want me they don’t want me, if they do, I wouldn’t know, but the fact of the matter is I’m still able to go and get in the ring and perform at a quality pace so it is what it is, man.  I know WWE has opened up the developmental school, basically, that’s millions of dollars they’ve spent on this and I can see where it would be hard for them to take a guy from free agency when they have a number of guys, a slew of guys, that are training for them right now.  And it would probably be a little bit cheaper for them.”

Styles was last seen on TNA television last week when he lost to Magnus to unify the two TNA World Heavyweight Championships.

The entire interview can be read here.

Follow Jon Alba on Twitter!