3 weeks ago
AJ Styles is connected a collision people pinch greatness, and he will person a chance to beryllium he is still tin of being connected apical of WWE astatine Backlash connected Saturday successful France, wherever he squares disconnected against Cody Rhodes for nan first clip ever pinch nan Undisputed WWE Championship connected nan line.
Styles had to conclusion Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio and past conclusion LA Knight successful a WrestleMania 40 rematch to beryllium capable to get to Rhodes, who will beryllium making his first title defense since upsetting Roman Reigns connected Night 2 of nan WWE’s premiere premium unrecorded event.
It has been a agelong roadworthy for Styles to get backmost into nan title image aft astir 2 months connected nan support because of an injury. He was successful nan fatal 4 measurement against Reigns, Knight and Randy Orton astatine nan Royal Rumble but grounded to triumph there. He was besides a runner-up for nan World Heavyweight Championship, losing to Seth Rollins astatine Night of Champions past May.
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AJ Styles, right, defeats LA Knight during "SmackDown" astatine PPG Paints Arena connected April 19, 2024 successful Pittsburgh. (WWE/Getty Images)
He told Fox News Digital he is fresh to clasp nan loop again.
"I deliberation I spent capable clip letting different group get their chance," Styles told Fox News Digital, stressing that 2023 was a bad twelvemonth for him. "I was hardly there, honestly.
"But it was during that clip wherever I had to fig retired my body, my eating, my diet, my workouts, everything and conscionable changed it each and came backmost fresh to make a quality successful WWE successful 2024. Yeah, man, I’m fresh to rock, dude. It’s astir time."
Styles and Rhodes’ paths ne'er crossed contempt being connected nan independent circuit for rather a while. Styles really faced disconnected against Rhodes' father, Dusty Rhodes, for nan NWA Heavyweight Championship successful October 2003 astatine TNA Wrestling’s play pay-per-view. He won that match.
"The American Nightmare" mentioned connected nan penultimate "Friday Night SmackDown" nan paths they some took to get to nan apical of WWE.
LA Knight, right, kicks astatine AJ Styles during Wrestlemania XL Sunday astatine Lincoln Financial Field successful Philadelphia connected April 7, 2024. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
WWE STAR AJ STYLES BLOWN AWAY BY PRAISE FROM WRESTLING LEGEND: 'I'M JUST FLATTERED'
Rhodes near nan institution to find occurrence connected nan indies, successful Japan, and he helped recovered All Elite Wrestling earlier he came backmost and took WWE by storm. Styles was nan look of TNA Wrestling astatine its highest and proved himself successful Japan earlier making his shocking debut astatine nan 2016 Royal Rumble.
"I consciousness for illustration we took akin paths, but his was backward compared to excavation wherever I started disconnected debased connected nan Totem Pole astatine not a large wrestling company, but past I had to get to a constituent wherever I had to stake connected myself and show that I could beryllium a champion, that I could beryllium a sanction worthy having," Styles explained. "In Japan, it sewage maine present to WWE, wherever he was for illustration he had to beryllium he was a sanction worthy having, but he had to do it extracurricular – he had to spell to Japan and different places, AEW, to get to WWE.
"I respect nan heck retired of it. I mean going from nan biggest institution successful nan world to do what he did is beautiful impressive."
Now, 2 of nan champion to do it successful nan ringing successful this procreation of pro wrestling will quadrate disconnected for nan championship.
Cody Rhodes, left, and AJ styles shingle hands astatine Heritage Bank Center connected April 26, 2024 successful Cincinnati. (WWE/Getty Images)
Backlash will beryllium held successful Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France. It is nan first WWE premium unrecorded event to beryllium held successful France.
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Ryan Gaydos is simply a elder editor for Fox News Digital.
