AJ Styles Says WWE Has Changed Since Vince McMahon Lost Power

Speaking recently on Battleground Podcast, AJ Styles has said that WWE has changed a lot since Triple H took charge of creative decisions from Vince McMahon. 

Styles explained:

"This isn’t the same WWE that Vince was in charge of. I really believe that Triple H looks at our talent and goes, ‘Alright, let’s get them better or let's find ways to bring out the best in them rather than show off the worst.'

"A lot of those guys and girls, when they got released from WWE, it crushes them. I never understood why we would want to do something like that rather than just like, ‘Ok, let’s send them back to NXT, they just need a little bit more work’ or something like that. Being released, it'll crush you and I don't want to see people's lives being ruined because of a job. At the end of the day, it's just a job, but still, it's something they've worked for their whole life and then when you're told you're not good enough, man that sucks. But that’s not the way it is these days. Now, with Triple H in charge, I think he's doing a great job of making everyone feel important."

AJ is set to face LA Knight at WrestleMania 40, with the match confirmed on last week's episode of SmackDown. Styles then posted a tweet implying that he won't be appearing on SmackDown until Mania, seemingly a heelish attempt to avoid retribution after repeatedly attacking Knight from behind.

Whatever the reason behind the scenes, it looks like we may not see Styles again until WrestleMania itself. On the other hand, with an unannounced AJ popping up at Elimination Chamber in Australia to attack Knight last month, nothing is certain. 

Vince McMahon is no longer involved with WWE outside of being a major shareholder in TKO. The 78-year-old resigned as TKO Executive Chairman in January 2024 after he was accused of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and physical and emotional abuse by former WWE employee Janel Grant. 

H/T to F4WOnline.