AJ Styles

**Allen Neal Jones** (born June 2, 1977), best known by the ring name **AJ Styles** (also stylized as **A.J. Styles**), is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand .Long regarded as one of the world's best professional wrestlers, Styles has headlined numerous pay-per-view events internationally.

Styles debuted in 1998 and competed for various independent promotions, before gaining his first mainstream exposure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001. He became widely known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) from 2002–2013, where he was dubbed "Mr. TNA". While in TNA, Styles held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice. He was also the inaugural titleholder of the X Division Championship, which he won six times. Styles is the first professional wrestler ever to complete the TNA Triple Crown (five times) and the TNA Grand Slam (two times). Styles is the only wrestler to have held all sanctioned titles (NWA and TNA) during his stint with the company.

In 2010, Styles became the first ever TNA-contracted wrestler to be ranked number one on the annual *Pro Wrestling Illustrated* (*PWI*) *PWI 500* list. He simultaneously appeared in Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2002–2006, where he became the first ROH Pure Champion. In 2014, Styles signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and won his first of two IWGP Heavyweight Championships in his debut match, later becoming a member of the **Bullet Club**. Styles has also won various titles on international independent circuits, including the PWG World Championship.

Styles first appeared in WWE (then the World Wrestling Federation) in 2002, but turned down a developmental contract he was offered with the company. He signed a multi-year contract with WWE fourteen years later in January 2016, making his re-debut that month and going on to win the WWE Championship in September. Both *PWI* and the *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* (WON) voted him Wrestler of the Year for 2016. With his second WWE Championship victory in Manchester, England in November 2017, Styles was recognized by WWE as the first wrestler to win the title outside of North America—this reign became the longest in SmackDown history. Also that year, he was inducted into the *WON* Hall of Fame.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Calf Crusher*/*Calf Killer* (Calf slicer)
	+ *Phenomenal Forearm* (Springboard flying forearm smash)
	+ *Spiral Tap* (Corkscrew senton bomb)
	+ *Styles Clash* (Belly-to-back inverted mat slam)

* **Signature moves**
	+ Brainbuster, sometimes onto the ring apron
	+ Discus clothesline
	+ Diving knee drop
	+ Figure-four leglock – adopted from Ric Flair
	+ Fireman's carry facebuster
	+ Flying armbar
	+ *Fosbury Flop* (Over-the-top rope moonsault plancha)
	+ Frankensteiner, sometimes inverted
	+ Frog splash
	+ *Hollow Point* (Kneeling Ganso bomb)
	+ Leaping corner clothesline
	+ Multiple DDT variations
		- *Bloody Sunday* (Lifting single underhook) – adopted from Prince Devitt
		- *Cliffhanger* (Crucifix dropped into a sitout)
		- *Phenomenon* / *Stylin' DDT* (Springboard moonsault onto a standing opponent transitioned into an inverted)
		- Tornado
	+ Multiple kick variations
		- Drop, sometimes from the top rope
		- Enzuigiri
		- *Pelé Kick* (Backflip)
		- Spin
		- Super
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Snap, sometimes into turnbuckles
		- *Starmaker* (High-angle belly-to-back)
		- *Styles Suplex Special* (German followed by a sitout belly-to-back wheelbarrow facebuster)
		- Vertical lifted and dropped into a neckbreaker slam
	+ *Muta Lock* (inverted Indian deathlock facelock)
	+ Over-the-shoulder back-to-belly piledriver
	+ *Phenomenal Blitz* (Two punches followed by a shoot kick followed by a back fist followed by a lariat)
	+ *Rack Bomb* (Argentine powerbomb)
	+ Running swinging neckbreaker
	+ *Shooting Styles Press* (Springboard shooting star plancha)
	+ Sliding forearm smash
	+ *Spine Breaker* (Backbreaker followed by a gutbuster)
	+ *Stylin' Crab* (Modified Boston crab)
	+ *Superman* (Springboard 450° splash)
	+ *Ushigoroshi* (Fireman's carry neckbreaker)

* **Managers**
	+ Alexis Laree
	+ Jeff G. Bailey
	+ Jimmy Hart
	+ Mick Foley
	+ Mortimer Plumtree
	+ Ric Flair
	+ Sting
	+ Stephanie Trinity
	+ Vince Russo

* **Nicknames**
	+ "The Champ That Runs the Camp"
	+ "The Face That Runs the Place"
	+ "The Georgia Pitbull"
	+ "The Lone Wolf"
	+ "Mr. TNA"
	+ "The New Nature Boy"
	+ **"The Phenomenal (One)"**
	+ "The Prince of Phenomenal"
	+ "Stylin' and Profilin'"

* **Entrance themes**
	+ **Independent circuit**
		- "Touched" by VAST
		- "Ghosts of War" by Slayer
		- "I Am" by Dale Oliver
		- "I Am" (Phenomenal Remix) by Dale Oliver
		- "Get Ready to Fly" by GRITS
		- "STYLES CLASH" by Yonosuke Kitamura
		- "DemiGods" (Edit) by LabRats Feat. Slim J
	+ **World Championship Wrestling**
		- "Joe Gomez Theme" by Jimmy Hart & J.J. Maguire (used as a member of Air Raid)
		- "Loose" (Instrumental) by Primer 55 (used as a member of Air Raid)
	+ **Ring of Honor**
		- "Touched" by VAST
		- "I Am" by Dale Oliver
		- "Praise" by Sevendust
		- "Up to My Neck in You" by AC/DC
		- "Theme from 2001" ( w/ "Stereo Space Odyssey" Intro) by The London Philharmonic Orchestra
		- "I Am" (Phenomenal Remix) by Dale Oliver
		- "DemiGods" (Edit) by LabRats Feat. Slim J
		- "Wherever I May Roam" by Metallica
	+ **Combat Zone Wrestling**
		- "Still Born" by Black Label Society Feat. Ozzy Osbourne
		- "Cochise" by Audioslave
		- "DemiGods" (Edit) by LabRats Feat. Slim J
	+ **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling**
		- "Born & Raised" by Dale Oliver
		- "I Am" by Dale Oliver
		- "I Am" (Phenomenal Remix) by Dale Oliver
		- "Gold Medal" by Dale Oliver Feat. Tha Tradmarc (used as a member of the Angle Alliance)
		- "Get Ready to Fly" by GRITS
		- "Fortune 4" by Dale Oliver (used as a member of Fortune)
		- "I Am, I Am" (A.J. Styles '11 Remix) by Dale Oliver
		- "Evil Ways" (Justice Mix) by Blues Saraceno
	+ **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
		- "I Am" (Phenomenal Remix) by Dale Oliver
		- "Shot'Em" by [Q]Brick (used as a member of Bullet Club)
		- "STYLES CLASH" by Yonosuke Kitamura
	+ **World Wrestling Entertainment**
		- **"Phenomenal"** by CFO$ Feat. John Monds
		- "Comin' for Ya" by def rebel (used as a member of The O.C.)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Access Wrestling**
	+ AAW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Asistencia Asesoría y Administración**
	+ Tag Team Tournament (2006) – with Low Ki and Samoa Joe
* **Ballpark Brawl**
	+ Natural Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* ***The Baltimore Sun***
	+ WWE Male Wrestler of the Year (2016)
	+ WWE Best In-Ring Moment (2016) – Styles winning the WWE Championship
* **Christian Wrestling Federation / Entertainment**
	+ CWF/CWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Family Wrestling Entertainment**
	+ FWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Independent Professional Wrestling (Florida)**
	+ IPW Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
* **Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South**
	+ IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Ted Petty Invitational (2004)
* **International Wrestling Cartel**
	+ IWC Super Indies Championship (4 times)
* **Independent Wrestling Revolution**
	+ IWR King of The Indies Championship (1 time)
* **Maximum Pro Wrestling**
	+ Max-Pro Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
* **Midwest Pro Wrestling**
	+ MPW Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* **New Korea Pro Wrestling Association**
	+ NKPWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **NWA Wildside**
	+ NWA Wildside Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Wildside Television Championship (3 times)
* **Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling**
	+ PPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tommy Suede
* **Pro Wrestling Guerrilla**
	+ PWG World Championship (1 time)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked **#1** of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the *PWI 500* in 2010
	+ Match of the Year (2016) – vs. John Cena (SummerSlam)
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2006) – with Christopher Daniels
	+ Most Popular Wrestler (2017)
	+ Wrestler of the Year (2016, 2017)
* **Revolution Pro Wrestling**
	+ RPW British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Ring of Honor**
	+ ROH Pure Championship (1 time, inaugural)
	+ ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Amazing Red
	+ ROH Pure Wrestling Championship Tournament (2004)
* ***Rolling Stone***
	+ WWE Wrestler of the Year (2016)
* **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling**
	+ NWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Jerry Lynn (1), Abyss (1) and Christopher Daniels (2)
	+ TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ TNA X Division Championship (6 times, inaugural)
	+ TNA Legends / Global / Television Championship (2 times)
	+ TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Tomko (1) and Kurt Angle (1)
	+ First TNA Triple Crown Champion (5 times)
	+ First TNA Grand Slam Champion (2 times)
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2002) – with Jerry Lynn
	+ Gauntlet for the Gold (2007 – Tag Team) – with Tomko
	+ TNA World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contenders Tournament (Second Bracket, 2009)
	+ Bound for Glory Series (2013)
	+ TNA Year End Awards
		- Finisher of the Year (2003) – *Styles Clash*
		- Mr. TNA (2003–2005)
		- X Division Star of the Year (2004)
		- Feud of the Year (2005) – vs. Christopher Daniels
		- Match of the Year (2006) – with Christopher Daniels vs. Homicide & Hernandez (No Surrender)
		- Tag Team of the Year (2006) – with Christopher Daniels
		- Match of the Year (2009) – vs. Sting (Bound for Glory)
* **World Wrestling All-Stars**
	+ WWA International Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
* **World Wrestling Entertainment**
	+ WWE Championship (2 times)
	+ WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
	+ WWE United States Championship (3 times)
	+ WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Omos
	+ Thirty-second Triple Crown Champion
	+ Fifteenth Grand Slam Champion
	+ WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament (2020)
	+ Slammy Awards
		- Match of the Year (2020) – vs. The Undertaker (Boneyard match, WrestleMania 36)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ 5 Star Match (2005) – vs. Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels (Unbreakable)
	+ Best Flying Wrestler (2005)
	+ Best Wrestling Maneuver (2003, 2015) – *Styles Clash*
	+ Most Outstanding Wrestler (2014–2016)
	+ Pro Wrestling Match of the Year (2014) – vs. Minoru Suzuki (August 1)
	+ Wrestler of the Year (2015, 2016)
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
		- Class of 2017