Bully Ray doesn’t imagine AJ Styles is actually finished as a wrestler, even after The Phenomenal One announced his in-ring retirement on RAW. As you already know, Styles might be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next month.
During a recent edition of the “Busted Open After Dark” podcast, Ray said that Styles’ WWE profession is “definitely” over, but he still thinks “there’s no way in hell that AJ Styles is done-done.”
The WWE LFG mentor expects Styles to wrestle again in places like TNA, Japan, or in an enormous fantasy match.
You possibly can try some highlights from the podcast below:
On AJ Styles’ WWE RAW farewell: “He didn’t definitively say anything. I still stand by what I said a few weeks ago: I don’t think AJ Styles has wrestled his last match… There’s no way in hell that AJ styles is done-done.”
On AJ Styles leaving his gloves within the ring on RAW: “They needed to do this because there have been too many conversations occurring there as to what could possibly be next for AJ… I feel the WWE, while AJ was still under contract, said, ‘We want to do that show and we’d like to place – we’d like to shut the door on AJ as much as we are able to possibly close the door. Perhaps even behind the scenes, they’re like, ‘Listen, for those who ever get the itch to go someplace else, please call us first.’”
On AJ Styles’ WWE profession being done: “He made it a degree last night to go right to the query. Everybody’s saying ‘why?’ He needed to – they needed to place a period or an exclamation point. So, he left his vest, and he leaves his gloves, and his WWE profession is over – definitely… So AJ can go have a final match in TNA, he can go and have a final match in Japan, after which possibly a fantasy match.”
On WWE being in a decent spot straight away heading into WrestleMania 42: “I do know concerning the first quarter dividend being reported by TKO, they usually’re getting cash hand over fist … Nonetheless, they’re in a spot straight away. Enthusiasm isn’t exactly through the roof. Yes, since we made some different decisions coming out of the Chamber and on Monday night Raw. Randy going over, Roman and Punk promo, Danhausen, tonight with Cody [on SmackDown]. Yes, things are lining up for them to change this around, clean up the spilled milk, card subject to vary, head in a unique direction. But I do imagine that from fans’ enthusiasm standpoint, if the WWE doesn’t have an important WrestleMania, persons are going to be like, ‘ what? I’ve had my fill over the past 4 to 5 years, I feel I’m going to present it a bit of little bit of a break.’”
On ticket sales being down for this 12 months’s pay-per-view event in comparison with last 12 months: “Numbers were down at WrestleMania, about 8,000 in need of where they were last 12 months. Interest is type of waning a bit of bit. Let’s stop running the ball and let’s throw up some Hail Marys. Rhea [Ripley] was in a team. Let’s get her the **** out and let’s get her within the major event. Rumors were we’re going to go along with Cody [Rhodes] and Drew [McIntyre]. Uh uh, let’s shock everybody. Let’s put it on Randy [Orton], and we’ll do the old Do-si-do tonight on SmackDown. I actually have no problem with them changing the sport plan. Vince [McMahon] would change the sport plan at 6:00 at night on a Monday. It’s okay. Card subject to vary. The interest level appears to be back.”