AJ Styles makes his 'Phenomenal' homecoming as TNA Wrestling returns to Georgia
Before he became one of TNA's stop stars, Styles originally made a name for himself in the Georgia wrestling scene
- TNA Wrestling
- "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles
Although Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is headquartered in Nashville and normally broadcasts from Orlando on Spike TV every Thursday, anytime it brings its show to Georgia it's an odd homecoming of sorts. Many of TNA's wrestlers can trace their early careers back here, but one of TNA's top stars has particularly strong roots in Georgia. Before "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles was flipping, kicking and grappling his way to every men's title in TNA, he was plying his trade on the Georgia indie scene (namely at Cornelia's NWA Wildside, now known as NWA Anarchy). And even with the success he has attained in TNA, Styles still gives props to his hometown of Gainesville, where he will be returning this Saturday as part of TNA's Impact Wrestling World Tour. But before he gets in the ring in Gainesville, he'll be in Atlanta on Friday when Impact Wrestling returns to the Tabernacle. As he prepares for these homecoming shows (as well as tonight's live Impact Wrestling broadcast from Universal Studios and Sunday's No Surrender pay-per-view), Styles takes a moment to talk about returning home.
When I spoke with you almost a year ago, as TNA made its way to Macon, you were clearly unhappy with the way things were going for you under the Hulk Hogan/Eric Bischoff regime at that time. But you've since found yourself back in the spotlight as TNA moves in a much different direction. How do you feel about your place in the company and the new direction things have been going overall?
I think the new direction's good, man. We've done a lot of good stuff and the ratings are good, so there's not much to complain about.
You're returning to Georgia this Friday and Saturday before going into the No Surrender pay-per-view on Sunday, including a show in your hometown of Gainesville. What are some of your favorite things about coming back to wrestle in your home state?
It's always nice to hear the Georgia people get behind the hometown guys, and always nice to hear those fans going crazy for you. And when I'm directly in my hometown of Gainesville, we're just upping it a little bit more. And the fact that I get to go home and sleep in my own bed is fabulous.