AJ Styles has a simple philosophy when it comes to WWE creative: if you don’t have a better idea, don’t complain.
Speaking with Cody Rhodes on What Do You Wanna Talk About?, the two discussed how younger wrestlers often react to creative decisions. Cody explained that talent can sometimes get caught up arguing over every little moment instead of focusing on the bigger picture.
According to Cody, he’s learned to pick his battles. While there are certainly ideas he doesn’t always love, he’d rather save those conversations for something that really matters than fight over every creative decision.
“There’s a lot of doing things because you think that’s what you’re supposed to be doing. Having little tantrums or worrying about these little moments in the matches when there’s bigger hills. Bigger hills. I have trouble when a guy dies on every hill. You know what I mean? I have plenty of things that I’m like, ‘I don’t love that. I don’t love that.’ But if there’s a collaborative effort here, there’ll be something bigger that I’d really fight for. But we’re all working together.”
AJ agreed with that approach and offered what he believes should be the rule whenever a wrestler isn’t happy with something they’ve been given: “And if you don’t have a better idea, then don’t say anything.” Cody immediately agreed with AJ’s mindset, saying, “Don’t complain until you have the better idea.”
AJ Styles then explained why he feels that way. Even if a storyline isn’t perfect, he believes it’s still a wrestler’s job to perform it unless they can actually offer something stronger in its place.
“Right. Then don’t say anything. You got nothing. It may suck, but since you didn’t come up with anything else, shut up and do the job. It’s the writer’s job to come up with whatever storyline they want to do, and it’s my job to do what they have laid out and perform. That’s my job.”
Styles also admitted that wrestlers don’t always have the best ideas. While there are times talent comes up with something worthwhile, he’s had plenty of experiences where WWE creative came up with something better than what he had in mind.
“Sometimes their ideas are a lot better than mine. And sometimes, every once in a while, you might have an idea that certainly does work. But it doesn’t mean you’re gonna get to—you know, just because it does, doesn’t mean you’re gonna get to pitch it. Doesn’t mean you’re gonna get to do it.”
Instead of encouraging wrestlers to argue over every storyline, AJ’s advice is to be prepared with a genuine solution. Otherwise, he believes the best approach is to trust the process, do the job, and save those battles for the moments that truly matter.
Do you agree with AJ Styles’ approach to WWE creative, or do you think wrestlers should push back more often? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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