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Why is AJ Styles more over with casual crowds compared to other indy guys?

10K views 117 replies 94 participants last post by  PhilThePain 
#1 ·
What makes Styles better than say Zayn, Owens, Cesaro, Neville, Crews and Rollins?

They all have one thing in common. They're all great workers. However other than Owens being good on the mic, none of those guys are great at anything else. And it's very rare to get over so quickly simply due to your in ring ability.

So how did Styles get extremely over in such a short period of time?

This is assuming that most casuals didn't know about Styles before he joined. In his first 4 months he got average reactions unless it was a smark crowd. It wasn't until the feud with Reigns/Cena he consistently got a good reaction from the casual fans.

Is it due to the abundance of smark crowds or smark influence among the casual crowds? With Styles being the most over among smarks compared to the other indy guys, it only makes sense for him to get the best reactions.

He was also presented as a big time player from the get go and went up against 2 polarising superstars (Cena/Reigns) in back to back feuds.
 
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#2 ·
Styles is awesome that's why.

There's nothing else I can't tell you that you or anyone else don't already know.
 
#3 ·
In general, AJ seems more bought into the WWE way of doing things, like keeping the character work simple, using catchphrases, and working with whatever they give him.

What's funny to me is AJ is the only guy you listed who isn't on Raw. Although Smackdown has had its faults, they've done so much better at highlighting certain wrestlers there, like AJ and the Miz, than what's usually done with a lot of guys on Raw.
 
#4 ·
Because he's been presented as a big deal (or at least a bigger deal than what most indy wrestlers who sign are) and then he's consistently went out and delivered against the most well known names on the roster bar part-timers. He also seems to have left any ego at the door, which a lot of indy guys who have achieved success outside the WWE can sometimes be accused of having.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Because AJ is not just an "Indy guy".

AJ was the face of TNA and whether WWE likes to admit it or not, TNA at one point was pretty big themselves and not just an Indy promotion.

So when you factor in his exposure from TNA, he already greater degree of fame among the casuals than your other Indy guys.

After that when you factor in just how good AJ is and how he has been presented, it's no mystery why he's more successful than the other guys you mentioned.
 
#6 ·
He has that x factor that makes him stand out. Plus he has that non-verbal charisma that makes you take notice. He carries himself like he knows he is the best, and I guess people kind of resonate with that.

I think of the guys you mentioned that Styles, Owens and Rollins are the only ones who are confident in themselves as far as their position on the roster and the character they are playing goes.

Cesaro, Sami, Neville and Crews still look like they are not fully confident in their position and their characters and are still trying to find their way. The crowd can pick up on those sorts of things.
 
#9 ·
I don't think TNA was ever big enough for WWE casuals to care. Styles was a TNA original, sure, but he was never the outright face of the company like the WWE are telling us. With Styles it's more about longevity, consistency and his great in ring ability, as opposed to being a larger than life charismatic superstar who carried a great company (like say WCW) on his back. The latter being the type of superstar that would appeal to casuals more.

In his first four months he never really got a great reaction from casual fans. Then he had a great match with Reigns. Went out to confront Cena and suddenly got thunderous chants, despite the fact that he didn't really do anything impressive (other the match) in the 4 months prior.
 
#10 · (Edited)
He has the 'it' factor that draws people in.

I became a fan of his before I had even heard the terms indy darling or IWC.

A big reason why he is more over than those guys is because he is a legend, he's not just another indy darling. I guess the casuals that are left like him because he's kind of like a real life superhero in the ring and comes off like a good person.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I think there is going to have to be a little elaboration on exactly what you consider a "casual". Because people of all kinds use the internet for wrestling news/information now, it's not just a select few anymore. You can put names in Google and find out worlds more than WWE tells you. Wrestlers and wrestling events trend on Facebook once they know you like it, and Twitter without even that. YouTube is frothing with wrestling related content at your fingertips. Please, elaborate on what's "casual".

Finding out who Styles is isn't exactly an act of wizardry these days.
 
#15 ·
There's a difference between 'casual' and 'smark' crowds. Smark crowds are obviously the crowds who cheer heels/indy guys, boo faces, come up with unique chants etc. Chicago, Philly, New Jersey, London, New York, Toronto and a lot of PPV crowds nowadays.

Casual crowds are obviously more traditional in the way they behave. They need a reason to cheer someone.

Nowadays though more and more casual crowds are being influenced by smark crowds when it comes to chants, cheering/booing etc.
 
#12 ·
Two reasons, 1: he's simply better, AJ was a top indy guy but unlike Owens & Sami he wasn't the all about me top guy, AJ could stand out when not having to "stand out", he didn't need to try and show people up or have everything catered to him to be seen as a top guy on the independents, which as good as they are Owens & Sami did, which Owens before he joined WWE unintentionally pointed out when he thought he was patting himself on the back, 2: He's on SD away from the HHH/Steph credibility vacuum, even as a heel AJ could cheat to win every night but he was allowed to behave like a 80's or 90's heel where he'd cheat but claim he did it fairly and not be brow beaten constantly or made to look impotent as to stroke the ego of Steph & Hunter, it allowed AJ to actually get over which no one on Raw is allowed to do, unless you are in a place to tell WWE to F off like Brock, Goldberg or Rock.
 
#14 ·
Because they actually know who he is lol, I showed my mum (who is the most casual casual I know) the 2017 Royal Rumble PPV couple weeks back & the people she knew were Reigns Goldberg Lesnar Taker Cena New Day Sheamus Jericho Orton Miz Ziggler & ...AJ Styles. He's also actually a big deal, the rest are just C+P indie guys imo :shrug

It's also down to TNA as much as WWE would like you to forget that
 
#16 ·
Because he's been booked (mostly) good and was portrayed as better than John fucking Cena?

The fact that he is also a better performer helps, but if he was booked like Cesaro, he wouldn't be as over as he is. I am baffled to see how this simple notion is ignored in a wrestling forum most of the times, but booking 99% influences the reactions.
 
#22 ·
I've never watched any Indy wrestling and was unfamiliar with pretty much every Indy wrestler before they came to WWE.

So I guess you could consider me a "WWE casual". But I've watched TNA back since 2003/2004. Same is true for a lot of other people who I know that can be considered casuals.

Yes TNA wasn't big to the extent that every WWE fan would know about it but it was big enough that it makes a difference. TNA was the 2nd promotion or the other promotion. You just simply can't put AJ in the same bracket as other guys who actually came from the indies.

As for whether he was the face of TNA or not, that's a debate for another day, but a lot of people including me did consider AJ as the face of TNA. Yeah it wasn't in the same way as Cena or Hogan but that's beside the point.

As for AJ not getting the reactions earlier on, it could be due to a variety of factors. I mean I've not been watching the show regularly but could be cause it took a while for the people who watched him for the first time to get familiar with him. Or the people who already knew about him probably weren't sure how he was going to be presented.

He got a decent pop at rumble and when he was in the ring with Cena for the first time, it felt truly special and you could see it in th crowd.
I consider myself a casual when it comes to liking superstars. The moment Bryan got over with casuals was when I really became a fan too. The moment Punk got over with casuals, was when I really became a fan. Same goes for pretty much every popular superstar before them.

But with Styles it's like the first time ever I'm not invested in a superstar that casuals like so much.

There's not really been a reason to actually cheer for him. As a superstar there's nothing special about him. Not the greatest on the mic, doesn't have amazing charisma and there's been no story told yet that would really get me invested in him as a character. And that's understandable considering he's only been with the company for a year. He came in and within 4 months was main eventing.

I've also watched TNA casually over the years, but he never really stood out to me. He was just 'a guy'. TNA averaged probably averaged 1.3m viewers during the time Styles was there. Which isn't a huge amount compared to what the WWE got back then. And that's assuming every WWE fan who watched TNA actually liked him.

As for his pop at the rumble, it was a smark crowd, so the reaction made sense.
 
#21 ·
I think a big part of it is his debut, don't think he could have had a better introduction because he seemed important and a big deal straight off the bat. It's a testament to how good AJ is that he's managed to keep that momentum rolling. everything WWE has asked him to do he's done well and almost every feud he's been in has been memorable and he's had a basket full of great matches and I've yet to see him have a bad one, and his mic work is passable enough that the live crowds vibe with him.

All together I'd say it's a mix of his presentation, booking and just how unbelievably talented he is.
 
#24 ·
Booking and presentation obviously.

Since Wrestlemania last year he has been presented as top guy in the company besting John Cena multiple times and taking Reigns to limit.

If he was swapping wins with Rich Swann weekly or playing a comedy heel who needed help to win every match he wouldn't be as over.
 
#26 ·
It's weird. If you asked me what quality matters the most, I'd say that in ring skill in the grand scheme of getting over is one of the less important aspects. Austin was no Kurt Angle or anything.

But AJ is over almost entirely because of the way booking has positioned him and his incredible in ring... Style. He's one of the few 10 out of 10's in the world, and he's been consistently booked as kayfabe Cena's equal and nemesis. Not even Owens got that honor.

Plus that forearm is just pretty. It's like a super hero pose.
 
#27 ·
Because AJ is SO good he's able to make virtually every type of fan care about him. Doesn't matter if you're a smark or a filthy casual, AJ draws them in and they become fans from that moment. Take his debut for instance, he came out to THE biggest pop of night and delivered in ring, and the fans who didn't know who he was before hand became fans. AJ's the best and everyone knows it and they respond in kind.
 
#30 ·
Yup, good look.

To clarify, he's an in ring 10 out of 10. His ring work is genuinely some of the best in the world. His mic work and character work on the other hand are passable, but I don't think anyone is going to rave over an AJ promo, especially when he's standing next to Cena. Which is what's weird. People aren't chanting his name because of "beat up John Cena" gags, that's for sure. In fact, it's funny. His in ring work feels very baby face. You don't get the sense of the coward buffoon heel when he's wrestling, which if you want to be further nitpicky is a sign of poor character work.
 
#33 ·
Because he's managed to find that next gear that so very few are able to find. There are some amazing in ring performers out there that are fun to watch, but when you watch them it's like they are going therough the motions and while what you're seeing is awesome execution there's just something that isn't there. AJ can make you feel his matches. I think the biggest separation for me is how he adapts to different opponents. Hes finds that line that separates a great wrestling match from awesome execution of an excellent moveset.
 
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