Matt Hardy thinks AJ Styles getting more involved with NXT could bring a noticeable change to the type of wrestlers getting opportunities there. And one group in particular could benefit if Styles really does end up putting his fingerprints on the brand.
Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Hardy and Jon Alba discussed reports that Shawn Michaels could move into Bruce Prichard’s role after WrestleMania 43, with Styles expected to become more hands-on with NXT as a result.
Alba wondered whether Styles’ background could affect how he evaluates developmental talent. Unlike wrestlers who came through WWE’s system from the beginning, Styles spent years grinding through smaller promotions before eventually reaching TNA, NJPW and WWE. Hardy believes that history matters. Since Styles came directly from that world himself, he thinks AJ would pay much more attention to independent wrestlers when looking for talent who deserve an opportunity.
“I mean, I do think AJ would be a lot more focused on indies than a lot of other guys would be just because he was such a child of the independent scene, you know, when it was all said and done. I mean, that’s everything he was doing. I remember when he was working those small shows back at, God, what was it initially? MCW.”
Hardy then pointed to the path Styles took throughout his own career. AJ worked smaller shows before getting an opportunity in WCW, followed by the run in TNA that turned him into a major name and eventually led him to WWE. Because of that background, Hardy believes Styles still has a much better feel for what’s happening on the independent scene. He even thinks AJ would be more willing than Michaels to take a chance on someone coming from that world.
“He was so familiar and just so entrenched in all that, you know. Then he got an opportunity to do some stuff at WCW. Then obviously it was out of business, and then there was TNA, and then obviously WWE when it was all said and done. I think he’s definitely much more on the pulse of indie workers, and he would be much more willing to give someone a chance than someone like Shawn Michaels would be because I don’t think Shawn is quite on that same pulse.”
Hardy does see another big advantage to having Styles around developmental talent, though. AJ has spent his career adapting to different opponents, companies and wrestling styles, and Hardy thinks that versatility could make him especially useful when it comes to helping wrestlers improve inside the ring.
“I think being cool and calm is very important. I also think he was very good at working so many different styles, you know. He can do a little bit of everything, and I think that will be very beneficial. I think he’ll be able to look at people and help them, especially from an in-ring work standpoint more than anything else.”
For now, Styles hasn’t been announced as Michaels’ replacement, so there’s still a lot to figure out before WrestleMania 43. But if his influence within NXT really does grow, Hardy clearly sees his years outside the WWE system as an advantage rather than something he’ll leave behind.
Would you like to see AJ Styles bring more independent wrestlers into the NXT system if he gets a bigger role with the brand? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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