AJ Styles Says Fans Swarmed Him Like Bees During WrestleMania Weekend

The WrestleMania weekend security concerns aren’t just backstage talk anymore — AJ Styles is now speaking out publicly about what actually happened.

After reports surfaced that WWE talent were frustrated with fan behavior and lack of security during WrestleMania weekend, Styles has now confirmed the situation firsthand — and described just how intense things got when fans crossed the line

Speaking on the Phenomenally Retro podcast on April 24, 2026, Styles was asked about the incidents that took place in hotels and shared spaces, where talent were reportedly being approached nonstop — even outside official appearances.

Before diving into his own experience, Styles explained the reality of those moments, pointing out that wrestlers aren’t always in fan-interaction mode, especially after long days of signings and appearances.

“Well, here’s the thing that fans have got to accept—even though we’re walking through the hotel to get to our room, we’re not even hanging out. We’re just trying to get to our room. We’ve been at signings all day, and you get kind of exhausted because we’re trying to be in a good mood for you at that point, especially for people who paid to see us. We want to make sure you get your money’s worth, and it’s a little exhausting. I know you’re like, ‘Well, what are you gonna do? All you do is stand there.’ But we’re doing it for a couple hours, right?”

He then addressed how quickly things can escalate when fans ignore boundaries, revealing that even after clearly saying no, he was still overwhelmed by a crowd that wouldn’t back off.

“And I don’t think anybody was impolite to a degree. Like, for instance, I won’t—I’m not taking pictures because once I start, I’ll never stop. So if I have my family, I can’t do that. So even then, I said, ‘Hey, I’m not taking pictures right now, I’m sorry,’ and they just swarmed me like bees. Even this one guy—though I told him, ‘No pictures, I can’t’—he was walking and doing that and leaning on me and stuff like that. I’m like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa.’ And finally security was able to find me and take me to the elevator.”

Styles made it clear that the issue isn’t about fans approaching wrestlers — it’s about understanding boundaries and respecting when talent say no. He also explained why he avoids certain situations altogether, especially when it comes to large crowds or autograph seekers looking to profit — something that’s made casual fan interactions more difficult over time.

“I understand that they think they know the superstars because they’ve watched them for so long, but at the same time, you’ve got to remember that they’re real people. It can get overwhelming when that many people swarm you like that. So I get it—no means no. If they ask you not to take pictures or whatever, just chill out. Hopefully—you know—I don’t normally do a lot of stuff at airports because the people who wait there so they can get five or six or seven things signed are going to sell them. So they’ve ruined it for a lot of people. So I’m like, I’m not signing. If I see you outside and it’s just me and you at a restaurant, I’m happy to sign something for you—I’ll take a picture with you, that doesn’t bother me one bit. But when we’re in a group of hundreds of people, I can’t do that.”

The Phenomenal One then directly addressed the security situation, confirming that the issue wasn’t just fan behavior — but also the lack of enough personnel to manage the crowds.

“So it can be difficult in all these different situations. Security—there wasn’t enough, and they were overworked, I’m sure, because of all the stuff they had to do. They had no idea it could be this bad, I’m sure. So I get it—I get it. You know, their favorite superstar—but that doesn’t mean you get to bombard them. No. You can ask, but I can’t promise you. And again, they’ve been up pretty early, getting this thing done, getting ready, going to their signings and the pictures and stuff like that.

And I’ll say this too—if you frighten my daughter, I’m gonna turn into a real weirdo. I go into protect mode, and it gets real, and I don’t want that. I don’t want to be the bad guy like that. But my job is to take care of my family, and I will do just that. I will get loud and scary. I don’t—but you know what I’m saying. My job is to protect them, and if I can’t protect them, then I get a little crazy.”

Other incidents from the same weekend paint a similar picture. CM Punk was seen knocking a fan’s phone away after the person got too close to Bayley and AJ Lee, while Damian Priest stepped in to protect a female talent from a fan who wouldn’t respect personal space. Booker T dealt with a major privacy violation after being filmed inside a bathroom.

In the end, with firsthand accounts now coming directly from talent, the focus is shifting toward how WWE and TKO handle security moving forward during major events going forward.

Do you think WWE needs to step up security during major events like WrestleMania, or is this just part of the reality of being a top star? Let us know your thoughts.

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