WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles joined WWE after years in TNA in 2016, debuting at the Royal Rumble. Styles spent a decade of his career in the company, with the majority of his time spent working under former chairman Vince McMahon. Upon Styles’ retirement in 2026, TKO was, and still is, running the show, after WWE merged with UFC, creating the company, in September 2023.
Styles spoke about working under both McMahon and the “new regime” on an episode of his “Phenomenally Retro Podcast.” Under McMahon, Styles said he enjoyed the fact that he would always get an answer from McMahon when he needed it.
“There was one time where I told him I was trying to read him, meaning how he felt about something,” Styles explained. “He said, ‘Don’t do that. You can’t read me.’ Things were different. I feel like guys walked around a little bit more timid when Vince was in charge. Where now, they can kind of give their opinions and stuff like that more freely and ask questions without being yelled at… I don’t think it’s as micromanaged as it was, which is a good thing.”
Styles explained that McMahon liked being on top of “every little thing,” which he said was impossible, as WWE is such a big company. “The Phenomenal One” said that he can appreciate that McMahon was his boss, who gave him an opportunity.
“It was neither good nor bad working for Vince,” he said. He gave me a chance to be AJ Styles in WWE and a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, so what am I to complain about?We were not hanging out after work, I can promise you that.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “The Phenomenally Retro Podcast” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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