AJ Styles: The Phenomenal One’s 10 Best Matches Prior to Joining WWE

AJ Styles is The Phenomenal One on WWE SmackDown. Credit: WWE.com

From TNA, to Japan, AJ Styles has had one of the most storied careers in pro wrestling history. But what were his best matches before finally signing with the WWE?

Back in 1998, a 21 year-old kid by the name of Allen Neal Jones began his professional wrestling career in a small, independent wrestling promotion in Georgia as a masked wrestler named Mr. Olympia. However, within the next year, the young man would lose the mask and begin performing under the name AJ Styles and with that, one of the greatest professional wrestling careers began. Over the course of the next 18 years, Styles would go on to win championships in five different countries while cementing himself as one of the best in-ring performers in the entire industry.

Styles began to first make a name for himself in both Ring of Honor and TNA, but it was his accomplishments in the latter that did the most for his career as his name became synonymous with the growing company and many of his matches became known as instant classics. After over a decade with TNA, Styles left the promotion in 2013 and at 36 years-old at that time, most thought that his career was on it’s final legs. However, Styles headed for Japan in April of 2014 and for anyone who thought his days were coming to an end were given a shot of reality when  “The Phenomenal One” began churning out more amazing battles in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Styles parlayed all this success into a WWE contract and he wasted no time showing his new company’s fans just how real the hype was as he put on immediate classics with the likes of John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Chris Jericho. Styles undoubtedly has more left to give to the WWE and should continue to do so, but until then it’s time to examine what this gifted worker’s best stuff has been pre-WWE.

Ahead we rank AJ Styles ten best matches before the WWE.