AJ Styles is still very much plugged into WWE’s future, even if he isn’t doing it from inside the ring every week.
During his The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, Styles explained how he has been helping out with WWE Evolve, and it sounds like he is taking the developmental side of the business seriously.
Styles was asked how he is adjusting to his role with Evolve, with the point being made that he is not exactly a trainer there. That gave Styles the chance to explain that he helps produce matches, gives advice, and works with talent on the details that matter before they eventually move up the WWE system.
“Uh well, when I’m at Evolve, I am uh I will produce a match if you need me to. I can do that, which is what I did. Uh I produced more than one match. Did two of them actually. I I enjoy it. I like doing that the throwing uh all these ideas.”
Styles said Evolve is especially useful because it gives WWE ID talent a chance to work in front of cameras and understand how television-style wrestling works before they get to NXT.
“And it’s good for Evolve because we’re taking our ID talent, putting them on the shows, showing where cameras are, which is very important, and then while we do certain things.”
Even though Evolve is taped, Styles made it clear that he does not want talent leaning on that as a crutch. In his mind, they still need to treat the match like they only get one shot.
“Um, it is a tape show, of course, but I don’t like redoing something. I’m not going to do that. I think they still get one shot to do it.”
Styles then explained that the whole point is to get those wrestlers ready for the next step, while also giving NXT talent a place to work and grow.
“Uh, but it just gets them ready for NXT when whenever the time is that we call them up. It gets them ready. It’s very important. Evolve side. Very important show for the WWE crew and and were able to throw NXT workers on that show as well.”
Styles was also asked whether he gets physical with the talent while producing matches. He said he does not take bumps, but he can still get hands-on when explaining how something should work. He added that the bigger lesson is not just the move itself, but why it works from a storytelling standpoint.
“To an extent, you know, to an extent? I’m not taking bumps and stuff like that. And I was like, but I could give advice like this is how I would do it and boom, boom, boom. You know, that way sometimes for me if you show it to me, I can understand it better, right? Because I I can see it. I see what you’re saying now.”
“But it’s it’s also a a time where I can go, here’s why we’re we want to do it this way because this way psychology-wise, does it make sense? But we we can we can do your idea, but we have to make it work as far as psychology.”
AJ Styles may not be wrestling full-time anymore, but he is still shaping what WWE’s next generation looks like. Evolve is clearly giving him a way to stay involved, teach the little things, and help talent understand what WWE expects before they get the call to NXT.
What do you think about AJ Styles producing matches and helping WWE Evolve talent behind the scenes? Please share your thoughts and leave your feedback below.
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