AJ Styles Explains How NXT Feud With Grayson Waller Came To Be

AJ Styles has explained how his recent NXT run came to be.

The WWE Raw talent started the year with a brief feud against Grayson Waller, ultimately wrestling the rising star on the January 11 edition of NXT 2.0.

Speaking on ‎Out of Character with Ryan Satin, Styles revealed that it was his idea to work with a star from the developmental brand. Noting that he thinks main roster talents should be showing the younger stars the ropes, Styles said:

“It wasn’t really a surprise because it was kind of my call. I thought it would be a good idea for guys like myself to go down to NXT and really say, ‘this is what we do on Raw and SmackDown so when you come up there are no surprises, no nothing, this is what we expect, these are the rules, by the way, they are little bit different than NXT, but this is what they are up here.’

“We’re talking about guys who dreamt about doing something…when they say, ‘Nah, we don’t want you,’ you’re crushing their dreams and who knows what else (like) their confidence. I don’t want that to happen. I know how that hurts.

“I was in WCW for a couple of months and then got my dreams crushed. Best thing that ever happened to me because I wasn’t ready to be in WWE at the time. I don’t want that to happen and don’t want to see that happen to anyone. If they are not ready, then we’ll keep them down there so they can be (ready). It’s up to them whether or not they progress. I just didn’t want to see them come up to main roster and be sent home.”

“That’s what we should be doing. We should be passing it down so that we can see the thing that we love…I love what I do and I want to see it progress and see it throughout the years. if we don’t make new superstars then it’s just going to dwindle away into nothing.”

“I did not handpick him. He was handpicked by someone else, but it was great. I’m a very hard-hitting kind of guy and I like to get snug. I told him what I wanted and he brought it. I was like, ‘Yes!’ It takes me to a different level. When I get hit, I’m like, ‘let’s go.’ I like that. He brought it and it was great.”

Dolph Ziggler recently teased an NXT appearance, hinting that he might pursue Bron Breakker’s NXT Championship. Breakker is set to defend his gold against Santos Escobar at NXT Vengeance Day.

Breakker won the gold from Tommaso Ciampa at NXT New Years Evil, in one of the first WWE title changes of 2022. Stay up to date with every new champion crowned this year using our tracker at this link.

Transcription via Fightful. 

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• Grayson Waller
• AJ Styles
• Backstage
• nxt

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