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WWE's AJ Styles talks about the night in Philadelphia that changed his career

    by Vaughn Johnson and Matt Breen
    Published 

Because of his profession as a wrestler, AJ Styles has traveled the world over, but every time he steps foot in Philadelphia, fond memories of his career rush back into his mind.

One memory in particular takes him back to a time before fans called him the "Phenomenal One."

It takes him back to the Murphy Recreational Center on April 27, 2002 when he faced Low-Ki at Ring of Honor's third-ever event, Night of Appreciation.

Before this night, Styles was still trying to make a name for himself on the independent wrestling scene, but after he and Low-Ki put in a stellar performance in the ring, Styles believed that he had finally put fans on notice that he was a force to be reckoned with.

"We just tore the house down," Styles before throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies game before WWE Battleground Sunday. "It was one of those moments like, "Okay, this is AJ Styles and he just made a statement with Low-Ki. Both of them'"

"I remember thinking to myself, 'Wow, I really love Philly. I really love Philly. I could move here,'" he added. "That's how passionate these fans were about wrestling so it was fun."

By 2005, Styles had earned his phenomenal nickname and was living up to it on a nightly basis.

Despite garnering such high praise, it would be more than a decade before Styles got his chance to shine on the WWE stage.

It took longer than Styles expected, but he believes things worked out that way for a reason.

"It's an amazing ride and it's a pleasure to be here," Styles said. "I just thought that I'd never have the opportunity. Things didn't work out so I just assumed that I would never be in WWE and never have a WrestleMania moment, but that's all changed now."

"Man, what a great place to work and sometimes I don't think some of the newer guys realize how great they have it because they've never wrestled anywhere else, where I have pretty much everywhere else and I realize how great it is in the WWE."

Vaughn Johnson has a podcast with Nick Piccone called the Straight Shooters on WildfireRadio.com. Check it out here HERE.