AJ Styles On How He Felt After TNA Lowballed Him in 2013, Proving Critics Wrong With WWE Success

AJ Styles was on a recent episode of Busted Open Radio and spoke about being lowballed by TNA in 2013 and leaving the company. Highlights are below.

On how he felt after TNA offered him a new contract with reduced pay in 2013: “Well I was scared, I didn’t know what was going to happen, nothing’s promised. I had no idea where this was going to lead. I think at that time, my ego was crushed because basically TNA had said, ‘Listen, you’re really not worth the money that we’re paying you, no matter how hard you work.’ So yeah, my ego took a blow there and I had a chip on my shoulder. But it was still scary because if it was just me, this would have been easy, I probably would have left TNA a long time ago, but at the time, I had three kids that I had to support, and then my wife, and take care of them, that’s scary not knowing if you’re gonna be able to put food on the table.”

On proving his critics wrong with his success in WWE: “Yeah, listen, it always feels good, but even though we’re talking about 2013 into 2014, going in there with a chip on your shoulder, trying to put on great matches, then you get, it never really stops. I had to do the same thing once I got to WWE. I had to show these guys that I belong here and go in there with a chip on your shoulder and get after it. And then you’ll still have matches where you’ll go, ‘OK, they put me in a position now that I don’t know if they think this is gonna be a good match but we’re gonna show them.’ Stuff like that. I think there’s always moments of showing people that either you still got it or you can still do it or it didn’t matter who you’re in the ring with, you can still have a great match with them.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Busted Open Radio with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.