page_title: A.J. Styles
section_title: Second return to the independent circuit (2014–2016)
hierarchical_section_title: A.J. Styles / Professional wrestling career / Second return to the independent circuit (2014–2016)
caption_attribution_description: English: A.J. Styles in the ring at a Smash Wrestling show.
context_page_description: Allen Neal Jones is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name AJ Styles He is overall a twenty-seven time world champion.
  Styles debuted in 1998 and competed for various independent promotions, before gaining his first mainstream exposure in World Championship Wrestling in 2001. From 2002 to 2014, he became widely known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, who described him as "the cornerstone of the company since the inception in 2002". Within that organization, Styles held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice, and was the inaugural titleholder of the X Division Championship, which he won six times. Styles is the first professional wrestler to complete the TNA Triple Crown and the TNA Grand Slam. He simultaneously appeared in Ring of Honor from 2002–2006, where he became the inaugural ROH Pure Champion. In 2014, Styles signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his debut match, later winning it a second time and becoming the third leader of the Bullet Club stable.
context_section_description: Following his departure from TNA, Styles would begin taking independent bookings for the first time in two years, accepting as many dates as possible and more regularly. During his second run on the independent circuit, he competed in various countries around the world, most notably England.
  On March 1, 2014, Styles made an appearance for English promotion Preston City Wrestling, losing to British wrestler Lionheart in the main event. Following the match, Styles gave Lionheart the Styles Clash, during which Lionheart improperly tucked his chin, resulting in him landing on top of his head and legitimately breaking his neck.
  On February 8, Styles returned to Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) after eleven years, defeating CZW World Heavyweight Champion Drew Gulak via disqualification, which meant that Gulak retained the title. In August, Styles also returned to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) after eleven years, taking part in the promotion's annual 10th Battle of Los Angeles tournament, where on August 29 he defeated Brian Myers to make it to the quarterfinals before losing to Roderick Strong via disqualification on August 31.
  On March 11, 2015, Styles defeated John Hennigan to win the FWE Heavyweight Championship in a best of three falls match two falls to one; Hennigan won the first fall after hitting the Starship Pain, but Styles made Hennigan tap out to the Calf Killer shortly thereafter to score fall number two and pinned Hennigan following a Styles Clash to win the title.
  On May 29, 2015, reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Styles (representing Bullet Club with manager Jonny Ferrari) defeated Justin Gabriel at House of Glory High Intensity 4 in Jamaica, New York.
  On June 14, Styles won the Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) British Heavyweight Championship, defeating Marty Scurll at Summer Sizzler for the title.
  In September, Styles made his debut for Chikara, when he teamed with fellow Bullet Club members The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) in the 2015 King of Trios. They made it to the semi-finals of the three-day-long tournament, defeating Team Fight Club (Trent Seven, Tyler Bate and Dan Moloney), but were ultimately defeated in the finals by Team AAA (Aero Star, Drago and Fénix).
  On January 14, 2016, Styles wrestled a match for 5 Star Wrestling in Sheffield, England, where he faced Rey Mysterio for the first time. Styles defeated Mysterio with the Styles Clash. Styles lost to John Morrison in a singles match which was for the inaugural 5 Star Wrestling Championship.
  On January 16, Styles returned to Revolution Pro Wrestling in London, England, losing the RPW British Heavyweight Championship to Zack Sabre Jr. Following the match, Styles cut a promo addressing his future and teased entering the Royal Rumble match. On February 5, Styles wrestled his final independent match (which he had pre-booked before signing with WWE), defeating Corey Hollis at Georgia Premier Wrestling.
caption: Styles at a Smash Wrestling independent show in January 2014
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