5/3 WWE on ESPNews – A.J. Styles talks WM32 debut, social media buzz pre-WWE, dream match vs. HBK, Lecrae, more

WWE on ESPNews SportsCenter
Airdate: Tuesday, May 3
Guest: A.J. Styles
Host: Jonathan Coachman

A.J. Styles appeared on ESPNews SportsCenter on Tuesday night for his first appearance in WWE’s weekly interview segment.

Styles offered brief answers to Coach’s questions, starting with how he’s feeling after taking a powerbomb through a table from Roman Reigns last night on Raw. Styles said he’s feeling fine and it comes with the job.

Coach backed up to the Royal Rumble for Styles’s WWE debut. Styles said before that, he accepted that he would never be in WWE after 18 years in pro wrestling. Styles said he just lived with it and did his own thing.

Styles noted that social media helped him be relevant outside of WWE to then be instantly accepted in WWE. He said without word spreading about his recent matches in Japan pre-WWE, he probably would not be the star he’s become in WWE.

Styles talked about his WrestleMania debut at AT&T Stadium and having to shut out the “wow” factor to focus on his match against Chris Jericho.

Styles noted that his dream match would be against Shawn Michaels, but it’s not going to happen since Michaels is staying retired despite appearing to be in great shape for his in-ring segment at WM32. Styles said he tries to emulate Michaels since everything he did in the ring meant something and he did all of the little things that mattered to have a great match.

Coach closed with questions about Christian hip-hop music and Styles’s video game preferences. Styles talked up Lecrae as one of the best rappers in the world and he picked NCAA Football over Madden, noting his Southern accent making him a college football fan.