"A lot of the boys are doing it" – WWE veteran opens up about the secret behind AJ Styles' physical transformation

AJ Styles recently made his WWE return looking physically jacked up, leaving many to wonder what he did to achieve an enviable body-type during his hiatus. The topic was discussed on Vince Russo's YouTube channel, where the WWE veteran admitted he'd heard about current talents resorting to TRT and other methods.

Vince Russo has known AJ Styles for nearly two decades, as they briefly worked together in TNA. Russo admitted that he was pretty surprised to see Styles' physique recently on SmackDown and had a chat with former WCW star Disco Inferno about the current trends in wrestling.

Russo explained that pro wrestling athletes are using TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) and other such practices under the guidance of a professional to bulk up quickly.

The 62-year-old also shared the sentiments of many fans and pundits by admitting that he'd never seen AJ Styles look so physically imposing in his entire career:

"I first worked with AJ like 20 years ago, and I saw his body. I had a talk with Disco about it, and I guess we're in a day and age where, you know, you are working with people, whether it's testosterone or whatever it is, but you're working with a professional and taking this stuff, safely and a lot of the boys are doing it. This is what Disco (Inferno) was telling me. I've never seen AJ Styles look like this." [00:28 – 1:05]

Stevie Richards also shared his thoughts on AJ Styles' new look and was certain that TRT might not be the only reason behind the WWE star's surprising physical changes.

The former WWE star acknowledged that while Styles and other talents might be on some added supplement, the wrestlers also have to put in the hours inside the gym:

"Yeah, I mean, there is no doubt. Everybody can just say, 'He is working out hard, he is doing this and that,' there is no question, you have to put in the effort with that. But let's not kid ourselves and not pretend to be children anymore. Yeah, they are getting into Rumble and WrestleMania season, and they are going to get off their cycles, and this just isn't the case of TRT." [1:06 – 1:28]

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Stevie Richards on AJ Styles' recovery and its possible effect on his body

The former WWE hardcore champion continued to explain the different ways to build muscle and felt that AJ Styles' recovery from injury would have played a role in how he trained.

Stevie Richards spoke of a therapy aspect to Styles altering his body and stressed that there are new and little-known trends in bodybuilding that might not come under the usual drug testing regulations.

Richards shed some light on growth hormones and noted that, as the tests for them are expensive, more organizations don't even bother getting them done.

He added:

"For AJ to have that kind of a transformation, which I have no doubt was some kind of therapy aspect to it because of the injuries and recovery, but that's beyond just testosterone and cypionate. There might be some trend and other stuff, and if they are testing for steroids and he has a TRT prescription, we're talking growth hormone." [1:36 – 2:00]

A legend reacted to AJ Styles' SmackDown match with Solo Sikoa and called it a "mild fight." You can check out why he felt that way right here.