"Absolutely amazing" - WWE legend compares AJ Styles to Hall of Famer (Exclusive)

AJ Styles has been part of the WWE Universe since 2016. The Phenomenal One debuted during the 2016 Men's Royal Rumble match. The rest, as they say, is history.

During a recent edition of What Were They Thinking? on Backstage Pass, JBL revealed his reaction to what is now considered one of greatest debuts in WWE history before comparing Styles to Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.

"AJ Styles' (WWE debut) was absolutely amazing. I mean, it's unbelievable how good Styles is. I mean, I think, you know, there's a few guys that you can compare to, say, Shawn Michaels back in the 90s, and AJ Styles is one of those guys." [11:27 onwards]

Elsewhere on the podcast, JBL agreed with fellow Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco in saying that Styles' "legacy would be a lot stronger" had he come to WWE earlier than he did.

"Yeah, I think you're right, Jerry. I think if he had come in and was a WWE guy, it would be a different career path. And you know, it is what it is. But you know, Vince kind of treats his guys who've been with him a little bit different, and that's how it was." [12:10 onwards]

AJ Styles made his in-ring return from injury at the 2025 Royal Rumble. The former two-time WWE Champion stayed in the ring for almost 21 minutes before he was eliminated by Logan Paul. It remains to be seen if Styles appears on SmackDown this week.

Get the full episode of What Were They Thinking? with JBL and Gerald Brisco on Backstage Pass. You can also unlock our exclusive content via YouTube membership.