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AJ Styles Gives Hopeful Advice to Wrestlers Rejected in WWE Tryouts

2026-07-26 · AJ Styles · Opinion

AJ Styles has a blunt message for any wrestler who doesn’t make the cut at the next WWE tryouts: don’t let it break you.

Speaking on The Phenomenally Retro Podcast this week, the former WWE superstar reflected on his own rejection in 2001 when WCW folded and WWE didn’t pick up his contract. Within a year, he rebounded by landing in TNA (now Impact Wrestling) and spent the next 11 years building a legendary career. His advice to hopefuls facing the same disappointment? It’s not over.

The next round of WWE tryouts is scheduled for SummerSlam weekend, with multiple names already confirmed for the event. Styles’ comments come as a reality check for the dozens of performers who will walk away without a contract - a moment he knows all too well.

What did AJ Styles say?

Styles was asked by co-host Tony Giles what he would tell wrestlers who don’t get selected. His response was raw and personal.

“I’m so glad you asked that, because that’s a reality,” Styles said. “But what a great time to be a wrestling fan - there’s so much of it going on.”

He pointed to alternatives like TNA, AEW, Japan, and the indie scene as viable paths forward. But his core message was emotional: don’t let rejection define you.

“They didn’t pick AJ Styles up, either,” he reminded listeners, referencing his own WCW exit. “I went back to the Indies. A couple months later, WCW went out of business. By 2002, TNA started up - and I was there.”

Why it matters for AJ Styles

This isn’t just advice - it’s a career survival guide from one of the most resilient performers in wrestling history.

Styles’ rise after rejection is a blueprint: rejection isn’t failure. It can be a pivot. His story - from indie circuit to WWE main-eventer - is now being shared with a new generation facing the same pressure.

And he didn’t stop at philosophy. Styles also revealed he handpicked several wrestlers for this tryout, calling them based on character and authenticity, not just fit.

“I didn’t want you because I thought you could be what WWE wants you to be,” he said. “I selected you because I liked you, the character. So be you when you do this trial.”

What comes next?

The WWE tryouts during SummerSlam weekend represent a high-stakes moment for dozens of performers. For those who don’t make it, Styles’ words are a lifeline.

But the story doesn’t end there. The wrestling landscape has never been richer. From AEW Dynamite to NJPW Strong, from Impact Wrestling’s weekly shows to indie promotions across the U.S. and Japan, opportunities exist beyond WWE’s tryout room.

And for those who do get in? Styles’ advice is simple: be yourself.

  • AJ Styles was not signed by WWE after WCW’s 2001 purchase - he went indie and later joined TNA in 2002
  • He spent 11 years in TNA before becoming a global WWE star
  • The next WWE tryouts take place during SummerSlam weekend
  • Styles personally recommended several wrestlers for this tryout, emphasizing character over conformity

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