AJ Styles Comments on His Injury and Extended Absence

In a candid conversation with Mark Andrews on My Love Letter to Wrestling, WWE star AJ Styles discussed his recent return from a serious ankle injury sustained during a live event on December 29, 2022. Styles, a two-time WWE Champion, was sidelined until May, marking the longest injury-related hiatus in his career.

Styles expressed initial apprehension about his return, acknowledging the unique physical demands of wrestling. Despite extensive cardio training, he noted, “there is nothing like being in wrestling ring shape”. However, after his first matches, he felt reassured about his recovery.

“This is the longest I’ve ever been out with an injury. I say this to people, after 24 years, I was due to have a pretty good injury. The last injury I had that kept me out was in TNA and I was out for six weeks, I tore my hip labrum. I was in a boot for a while, and I felt like I was trying to learn how to do things again. ‘Hold on a second, I’ve been doing this for 45 years, how did I not know how to walk right?”

“It was really painful in some places. I went and got another MRI and once I realized it was this inflammation, the bones pretty much healed, the inflammation is pain, once I knew that in my head, ‘Okay, I’m not going to tear anything, I’m not going to re-break anything, I can get after it. Once that mental block was gone, it was easier for me to focus on what I needed to do and it seemed like it progressed a lot quicker.”

Styles is now set to face Seth Rollins in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament finals at WWE Night of Champions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 27.

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