AJ Styles is a big fan of the independent pro wrestling scene and thinks it is necessary for the business to thrive.
In an interview with Inside the Ropes, the former WWE World Champion said that the indie scene in pro wrestling is constantly growing. He also said places such as NXT are a great spot for various indie wrestlers and wrestling styles to converge in one spot for fans to watch.
“I mean it’s hard seeing outside your bubble,” Styles said. “Luckily, there’s places like NXT that finds other bubbles and gets into those and finds top talent. I noticed, I guess over a year and a half ago, that the indies are far from dead and that they are growing more every day in more countries. Although I haven’t had a chance to see the indies in the past year, I’m happy that they’re still there because we need them. The great thing about the indies is that it separates everybody because, within the states, I trained in the south part of the country which is different from the north part of the country, but I was able to combine those and make AJ Styles better, but at the same very different from the guys in California until I work my way over there and see those different ways. Then I go to the UK and work those indies. Indies are a great thing for what we do.”
Before being a major star in WWE, Styles made a name for himself in the indy scene, especially in Ring of Honor in the 2000s, where Styles was a former ROH Pure Wrestling Champion and a former World Tag Team Champion.
Styles is now a regular on WWE’s SmackDown Live program on Tuesdays on the USA Network. the interview can be seen in the video above.
