When AJ Styles first showed up in WWE back in 2016, a match with Shane McMahon, who returned to the promotion only a month after Styles’ debut, didn’t appear to be within the cards. And yet, the 2 collided only one 12 months later at WrestleMania 33, with Styles defeating McMahon in an acclaimed contest.
Speaking concerning the match on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet,” Styles noted how much pride he took in its fame, particularly because people weren’t high on the match leading as much as it.
“Nobody thought that me and Shane McMahon were going to have a very good match,” Styles said. “And I believed we did a excellent job of constructing that very entertaining. It had some moments which might be really cool. I had the chance to work Shane McMahon, an awesome guy. Freakin’ love him.
“Nobody is more dedicated to perfection than Shane McMahon. Ask The Undertaker, he’ll let you know. And I respect the heck out of that. And the stuff that he does, like, he’s still doing the Shooting Star Press? Are you kidding me? He beats himself up. Man, I even have a lot respect for Shane. I friggin love him. That was an amazing match.”
When Styles was asked what his WrestleMania moment was, he cited the McMahon match over his first Mania match with Chris Jericho, and the Boneyard Match with The Undertaker.
“I believe it can have been the Shane McMahon match,” Styles said. “Because I’m working Shane McMahon. Who would’ve thought that AJ Styles could be working Shane McMahon…in a match, I consider it was the primary match of WrestleMania, which was perfect. And to have such an amazing match and a lot fun and have the option to get to know a man…man, that was a extremely, really awesome [moment].”
When you use any of the quotes in this text, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and supply an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
