AJ Styles is gearing up for one of his biggest matches in recent memory this weekend, as he squares off against John Cena in one of the final matches the future WWE Hall of Fame legend will ever have, as his year-long “The Last Time Is Now” retirement tour is wrapping up soon.
During his appearance on the Raw Recap podcast with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant this week, “The Phenomenal One” discussed their showdown at WWE Crown Jewel: Perth, his own looming retirement, and his lack of main events in WWE as of late.
Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview where he touches on these topics with his thoughts. Also below is a complete video archive of the interview.
On his lack of main events in WWE and upcoming high-profile showdown against John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel: Perth: “Alright, well, well, let’s just be honest about the whole thing. I don’t know if you guys noticed, haven’t been in the main event picture lately. So, I just assumed that I wasn’t that important. But it sounds like, to me, the fans wanted this match, and at the end of the day, when it comes to John Cena’s retirement tour, we’re gonna give them what they want. So, I’m happy to have the opportunity to face John one more time and I can tell you this, it’ll never happen again. I don’t care how much money they offer us, we’re probably still — I said probably — we’re not going to Saudi Arabia to have another match. This is it. I know in my heart, this is the right thing and John’s gonna be retiring soon and I’m gonna be right behind him. It’s just the reality of two guys who have busted their butt for so many years, and busted their bodies at the same time. It’s time.”
On crediting Cena for making him in WWE: “He definitely made me. There’s no question in my mind that he helped make AJ Styles. He put me on a different level, and some of my best matches have been with John (Cena). That is also no question. So, I don’t know where I would be exactly on the charts right now, if it hadn’t had been for John but it certainly did help being in the ring.”
On Cena using the Styles Clash against Logan Paul at WWE Clash In Paris: “He didn’t call me. He didn’t ask if he could use it. But, with everything that he’s done for me, I took it as a compliment and even he said it on the interview, it was showing appreciation, and so, mind you, it’s never gonna be an AJ Styles ‘Styles Clash’ so, I forgive him pretty easy.”
(H/T to Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.)
