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AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer him

13K views 152 replies 59 participants last post by  ROHFan19 
#1 ·
Good for him lol

WrestlingObserver:

During a recent appearance on Wrestling Observer Radio, AJ Styles stated that he’s already made more money this year working the independent scene and with NJPW than he would have for the entire year of 2014 under the new deal TNA offered him.

TNA reportedly offered Styles a deal that could have earned him upwards of $200,000.

Styles also noted that by the end of the year, he could do as well as he did in 2013 with TNA, Styles reportedly made $350,000 that year.

Since Styles is now working the independent scene and NJPW, they pay for his hotel rooms and travel expenses.

He is also able to control his merchandise sales. TNA did not cover road expenses, and would have only gotten a percentage of merchandise sales.
 
#3 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

not surprising these other places want AJ. he's a headliner for them. he's going to sell tickets for them. he's a HUGE deal to these minority companies. he wasn't going to always be THE headliner in TNA.

good for AJ. he's making more money. I imagine he's also not home as often, so does he get to see his family the same? I imagine he travels more, and he's not in his home country of America as often, and instead in a foreign country with a different language. he's also not on TV in America every week. but he's making more money, so if that's what he wanted then good for him.
 
#99 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

not surprising these other places want AJ. he's a headliner for them. he's going to sell tickets for them. he's a HUGE deal to these minority companies. he wasn't going to always be THE headliner in TNA.

good for AJ. he's making more money. I imagine he's also not home as often, so does he get to see his family the same? I imagine he travels more, and he's not in his home country of America as often, and instead in a foreign country with a different language. he's also not on TV in America every week. but he's making more money, so if that's what he wanted then good for him.
minority company he works for njpw wrestling in front of 20 thousand people your just pissed off he told tna to kiss his ass
 
#4 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Does this mean NJPW is pretty much the number 2 biggest wrestling promotion in the world?

Also wouldn't be surprised other big TNA names leave and follow AJ's route. Seems you're much in control and make more money doing the free lancer route.
 
#7 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Does this mean NJPW is pretty much the number 2 biggest wrestling promotion in the world?

Also wouldn't be surprised other big TNA names leave and follow AJ's route. Seems you're much in control and make more money doing the free lancer route.
No guarantee of a payout for most of them. The likes of Samuel Shaw, Mr Anderson, Gunner, the Bromans, and Magnus will not make much on the indys. Sure, Samoa Joe and Austin Aries can do that but they would also have to work more.
 
#5 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Good for AJ, glad to hear he's doing well outside TNA.
 
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#6 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

TNA payed him 350 000?
Holly shit, I thought about lower numbers. A lot lower.

Also I'm glad for him that he makes so much on indies. Thats impressive. Wondering if he is the most succesfull guy out there or some ex wwe guys making more.

Does this mean NJPW is pretty much the number 2 biggest wrestling promotion in the world?
Didn't you read it all? Styles makes more in NJPW and indies combined. And AJ doing a lot of indies asking 5000 per appearence.
 
#10 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Interesting, so basically TNA offered him near 1/4 million and he was making a lot more between 2010-2013. There's no way TNA can pay more than 4 guys this amount of money. WWE perhaps would like to have Styles but not for $350,000. Anyways, wish AJ the best.
 
#11 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

If you have name value you're gold in the indies so guys like Sam Shaw, Anderson, Gunner, Bromans etc would do well in the indies. Maybe not 200-300k but they'd be okay.

The indies are a lot better deal anyway if you really think about it. AJ can do high priced seminars then sit around and sign autographs selling his own merchandise and charging for a signature then walks away 2500 richer for a 15-20 minute match. He also won't lose name value because both NJPW and ROH are using him. Plus you have the perks of travelling the world and having the red carpet rolled out for you 90% of places you go.
 
#14 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Not a huge AJ Styles fan anymore(I was in 2005) but I am happy for him. He's in the prime money making years 35-40.

Since when $350,000 become a big contract? That was undecard money in WCW lol. Maybe the economy is bad now but no wrestler on national tv in the so called number 2 company with a billion dollar backer should be fussing over $350,000 to one of their top stars. In matter of fact, no one in the company should be making less than $150,000 per year.
 
#120 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Since when $350,000 become a big contract? That was undecard money in WCW lol.
$350k is a hell of a lot of money for a company not bringing in anything outside of tv rights fees. wcw at their peak were drawing 30,000 gates for nitro, 600,000 buys for their biggest ppv of the year and the nwo shirt was one of the best selling pieces of merch in wrestling history.

which brings me to

Heyman does know something about debts... there's no company in the universe that would stay alive for 14 years losing 1 million per year. Not even fucking Microsoft would back it up.
twitter were founded in 2006 and yet to turn a profit http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...an_doubles_sales_still_can_39_t_turn_a_profit

wwe films like tna (and formed same year ironically) a subset of a larger holding company has yet to turn a profit. losses in certain divisions can be used as tax write-offs

heyman stated tna were $70-90 million in the red when he was shown the books and remember that was before tna signed hogan, flair etc in 2010 or went on the road full time at the cost of $700,000 a show in 2013...

I think NJPW is the #1 Wrestling promotion in the world, WWE is more of an entertainment product, not sure they count as a straight up wrestling promotion, and thought TNA provides more wrestling
pro-wrestling is entertainment. it a bunch of guys fake fighting in their underwear in japan as much as it is in the states. as far as in-ring wrestling goes if we take this past week:

sd had 39 minutes of in-ring wrestling
raw had 52 minutes
main event had 20 minutes
impact had 30 minutes
nxt had 21 minutes
 
#15 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

NJPW's legacy is too great for number 1, 2, 3 crap. Even at their lowest point they were respected, that's bigger than a dollar podium but maybe that's something some will never understand. Because in the last few years they are a clear number 1 in Pro Wrestling. Hell, even NOAH with all their problems delivered a great product under KENTA's leadership.
 
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#20 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi



ohh what AJ said, and of course AJ knows everything. what else is he going to say? yeah the company that I DIDN'T sign for is number 2?


As a wrestling company NJPW is currently number two in the world sorry to say TNA isn't even near that at this point.


Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App
I can't speak for the world, but that's not the case in America, where TNA is home. AJ Styles is an America, wrestling in another country with NJPW.
 
#21 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

AJ Styles has been a major part of TNA since its inception and he was going to make about $200,000.
The lowest paid WWE Diva on the main roster makes that. But then again, this is the company that had
its woman's champion moonlighting in a mall court Sunglass Hut while Jesse Neal was on food stamps.

Meanwhile, how many millions do they blow on guys like Sting, Hogan, Flair and a bunch of other washups?
 
#23 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Holy shit. Just... wow.
go ahead and tell me I'm wrong.

if TNA is coming to your area and A is facing B in a match on TV do you want to pay money to go see the same thing again?

AJ Styles is the same guy who spent how long in the mid card in recent years? yeaahh MR TNA. :clap
 
#24 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Hilarious to watch SpecialFNK do what he does best.

Anyway, Meltzer praised AJ Styles so much in his recent match, that I want to watch it. He said that AJ Styles was on a level that nobody in WWE or TNA could reach with the possible exception of Daniel Bryan. He said Seth Rollins best night couldn't touch AJ in this match.
 
#25 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Hilarious to watch SpecialFNK do what he does best.

Anyway, Meltzer praised AJ Styles so much in his recent match, that I want to watch it. He said that AJ Styles was on a level that nobody in WWE or TNA could reach with the possible exception of Daniel Bryan. He said Seth Rollins best night couldn't touch AJ in this match.
And what match might that be? Because from that description, I'd like to check it out myself.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Classic FNK.

TNA have a network which is available in most homes, with weekly TV that enables the audience to easily connect with the characters.

Its not brain surgery to figure out how they should make infinitely more money and interest in their product.

AJ's done well as:

A- He's a great talent, who is versatile enough to have a decent match with anybody, getting both his opponent and the company over in the process.

B- He left TNA carrying more momentum then their world champion at the time.

C- He sells tickets and has clearly taken some of his TNA fanbase with him, on top of the smarks who generally appreciate his work over the years.

It will be interesting to see if this support dies outs, or he goes from strength to strength till WWE make a serious play for him.

I'm also surprised people are doubting NJPW being the world NO2. NJPW have continued to prosper whereas TNA has gone into meltdown these last three years. Hell they couldn't even afford to keep the heart and soul of the company. There's even an argument that with AAA's expansion, they will drop to NO4, if not already.
 
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#30 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Title is slightly misleading. I'd debate if he's making as much or more on the indies, but he's definitely making more working for NJPW. Debating exactly how big NJPW is in the US is irrelevant, they're definitely the #2 promotion in the world from a financial standpoint and probably the only promotion in the world who can seriously take on WWE in a bidding war.
 
#33 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

If AJ is working US indy dates he is working like 3 days a week so he sees his family then. I saw him at a show and he said he had flown in from Iowa to NC after a show the night before so he could probably be home by Sunday night/ Monday morning.

I know people with regular jobs making way less who spend almost no time at home.

When he is in Japan I'm sure AJ is treated and paid well, does his dates and comes home for a break, then back to indy dates.

The guy is not going to miss his family forever. A couple more years and some smart investing and he can probably do pretty well and semi-retire and do select shows if he wants to.

He is trying to earn all he can because a wrestler's career is usually fairly short and they could always have a serious injury that puts them on the shelf.
 
#36 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

AJ vs Okada was great. It really was. But Dave is getting out of hand. I understand it's G1 and everything and he's having an orgasm right now...but he needs to calm down. He had Tanahashi/Honma at ****1/4, Shibata/Nakamura and AJ/Okada at ****1/2. And he said Night 1 could possibly by show of the year.

That being said, this was bar none AJ's best performance in NJPW. He was fantastic. Dave's going a touch overboard though.


And finally, it amazes me that SpecialFKN is still trying to spin everything in TNAs favor. Who the fuck cares if TNA is #2 in America? They don't make money. They lose money every single year. New Japan makes money every single year. New Japan is a more successful promotion. AJ makes more money there. He made the right decision.

AJ in NJPW/Indys is making more money than everyone in TNA not named Angle or Bully Ray.


Edit: Holy fucking shit he said baseball is #1 in America. HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF THE NFL?
 
#38 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

AJ vs Okada was great. It really was. But Dave is getting out of hand. I understand it's G1 and everything and he's having an orgasm right now...but he needs to calm down. He had Tanahashi/Honma at ****1/4, Shibata/Nakamura and AJ/Okada at ****1/2. And he said Night 1 could possibly by show of the year.

That being said, this was bar none AJ's best performance in NJPW. He was fantastic. Dave's going a touch overboard though.
Agreed, I haven't seen it yet but from all the reviews I read and rating I saw, it seems to be a great match, but not some super epic all time classic.

Also expecting Triple H, WWE's VP of talent relations, to be some workrate mark is plain stupid. AJ is a great wrestler no one denied that, but Triple H can't simply sign him because he is that. He needs some name value, marketability and future potential to make that decision. Styles' time to be in the WWE has come and gone, plain and simple.
 
#40 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

Stop with the number crap. Already saw that match, it was badass xD
 
#43 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

AJ/Okada from G1 is still pretty mark worthy. Not a classic but just great damn wrestling. I'd be fine only watching those two wrestle each other forever.

And Styles on the indies is awesome. Saw him work a tag match in nowhere Georgia and you can just see it in his performance how precise of a performer he is. Never a wasted action. Speaks to Meltzer's ring general comment.
 
#44 ·
Re: AJ Styles on him making way more working independent than what TNA would offer hi

AJ did receive an offer from WWE but it wasn't very much. With all the guys they have on their, they likely believed he wouldn't fit in right now.

And watching him and TNA this past year. One thing has become clear, AJ didn't need TNA, TNA needed AJ.
 
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