AJ Styles' TNA colleagues credit WWE star for paving way to company ahead of Hall of Fame induction

LAS VEGAS – A.J. Styles’ in-ring profession came to a adjacent pinch a nonaccomplishment against Gunther astatine nan Royal Rumble earlier year, marking nan extremity of a "phenomenal" run.

Styles was 1 of nan first pro wrestlers among this procreation of stars who created an tremendous instrumentality guidelines earlier he made nan jump to WWE. Styles was nan main arena astatine Total Nonstop Action (TNA) for a agelong clip up of his 2016 debut astatine nan Royal Rumble.

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AJ Styles points to nan crowd successful ceremony of his status during Monday Night RAW astatine State Farm Arena successful Atlanta, Georgia, connected Feb. 23, 2026. (WWE/WWE/Getty Images)

He was a six-time TNA X-Division champion, three-time National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion and two-time TNA world heavyweight champion arsenic good arsenic nan company’s first-ever expansive slam and triple crown champion. In WWE, Styles was a two-time WWE champion, three-time United States champion, one-time intercontinental champion and two-time world tag squad champion.

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, collectively known arsenic nan Motor City Machine Guns, sewage to watch Styles’ profession firsthand successful TNA. Now pinch WWE, nan duo told Fox News Digital that Styles’ ascent successful WWE paved nan measurement for them to yet jump to nan company.

AJ Styles delivers a forearm onslaught to CM Punk during Monday Night RAW astatine Scotiabank Arena successful Toronto, Canada, connected Jan. 26, 2026. (Michael Marques/WWE)

WWE TO INDUCT BAD NEWS BROWN INTO HALL OF FAME

"To beryllium wholly honorable pinch you, to me, it’s nan logic I want to spell to nan Hall of Fame. I’m willing anyway," Shelley said. "There’s immoderate awesome inductees – Sid Vicious, Bad News Brown. But AJ is nan 1 that tugs connected my heartstrings nan most. It’s bittersweet, I think, for me, astatine least, because he’s been specified a large relative to me.

"To spot that doorway close, does fto maine cognize nan transition of clip is real. But AJ deserves it. He really did blaze that way of wrestlers to travel and subordinate WWE successful 2016. We showed up almost 10 years later. I don’t cognize if we would person if he hadn’t killed it."

Sabin agreed pinch Shelley.

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin of nan Motor City Machine Guns make their entranceway during SmackDown astatine Rupp Arena successful Lexington, Ky., connected June 13, 2025. (Craig Melvin/WWE)

"He perfectly blazed nan way for guys for illustration america to make it here. I mean, he’s amazing, right? AJ Styles has done things nary 1 other has done. He’s been a leader and a domiciled exemplary and it’s awesome to spot him get inducted into nan Hall of Fame," he said.

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Styles, Stephanie McMahon, Sycho Sid, Bad News Brown, Dennis Rodman, nan tag squad duo known arsenic Demolition and Hulk Hogan’s lucifer pinch Andre nan Giant from WrestleMania 3 are included this year.

The WWE Hall of Fame ceremonial will return spot astatine Dolby Live astatine Park MGM connected Friday nighttime astatine midnight ET.