WWE Superstar AJ Styles could be in the tail end of his professional wrestling career, which commenced in 1998. Partly because of his nearly three-decade-long experience in the business, Styles has naturally become a dream opponent for many.
Before he signed with WWE in 2016, The Phenomenal One was known for his impeccable work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, a company that once rivaled the sports entertainment capital. Styles is a TNA Original, so to speak, and that is why current TNA World Champion Trick Williams wants to wrestle the 48-year-old industry veteran.
Trick Williams Wants to Defend the TNA World Championship Against AJ Styles
WWE’s Trick Williams, currently signed to the black and silver brand, defeated Joe Hendry on May 25 at NXT Battleground in Tampa, Florida, to win the TNA World Championship.
He is scheduled to defend the title against Hendry and Mike Santana at TNA Slammiversary on July 20 in Elmont, New York. Ahead of his major title defense, Williams told Mike Johnson of PWInsider that he wishes to defend the title against the TNA Original, AJ Styles.
Mike, I want AJ Styles,” Williams said. “I told Atlanta that I’m the greatest TNA Champion of all time, and the audacity of that crowd to turn and say ‘AJ Styles’? Completely disrespectful. There’s only one way to get to the bottom of this. Gimme AJ Styles. Let me prove myself. Let me show everybody how legit Trick Williams is. That’s the one I want. Trick Williams versus AJ Styles.”
Trick Williams Calls Himself the ‘Thanos’ of WWE
Thanos, the main antagonist of Marvel Comics’ The Avengers franchise, is whom Williams has identified with. He claimed that, like in the franchise, he is collecting his Infinity Stones.
Williams further claimed that his holding the TNA World Title only brings more eyes to the Nashville-based company’s product, as it would otherwise not stand a chance in front of the sports entertainment capital’s popularity among wrestling fans.
I feel like Thanos,” he said. “I’m collecting my Infinity Stones and trying to bring good to the world. I’m trying to bring good to TNA by gaining exposure, bringing it to our 800,000 fans tuned in on NXT every single Tuesday. We trying to move seats. We try to move tickets, and that’s what Trick Williams does for your brand.”
Meanwhile, Styles is signed to Monday Night RAW, where he is in the midst of a storyline with Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio. The Phenomenal One was originally slated to challenge Mysterio for the title at Night of Champions last month, but the match got cancelled after The Judgment Day member suffered an injury.
A match against Williams for the TNA World Title, should the NXT star prevail at the Slammiversary event, gives Styles an opportunity to step back in the squared circle in the company where he grew into his own. Even though that is the case, Styles does not want to be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame just yet.