A.J. Styles Talks 60% Pay Cut That Ended Run With Impact Wrestling

A.J. Styles sat down with the folks from Title Match Wrestling following his infamous end to his 11-year run with Impact Wrestling in 2013 after being asked to take what was rumored to be a 60-percent pay cut. The folks from Title Match Wrestling uploaded the interview this week. Featured below are some of the highlights.

On being asked to take a 60-percent pay cut in Impact Wrestling several years ago, a move that ended his 11-year run with the promotion: “I think saying 60 percent is being generous. It’s kind of crazy when that’s the first offer, you’re like ‘wait, what? That doesn’t make any sense. I’ve worked here for 11 years, hard for 11 years. I’ve gotten more popular over the last year, so I don’t know what’s going on. This doesn’t make much sense to me.'”

On long-term wrestlers for Impact Wrestling being forced to suffer financially due to the promotion’s failed business dealings: “Not fair to the talents. Somewhere [TNA] wasted a lot of money. The guys under contract, the guys who busted their butts are the ones who have to pay the price. That doesn’t make sense. That’s not fair to them. They’re the ones who put their bodies on the line for TNA. To punish them because of your mistakes is terrible.”

On those who feel he should have been a company guy and taken the pay cut, and why he feels being that company guy is the reason why he shouldn’t have had to in the first place: “I’ve been a company guy for 11 years. That’s exactly who I’ve been. I’ve always protected and took up for TNA. I’m in the prime of my career and I’ve learned so much. I’m able to deliver exactly what they want better now than ever. This is what I do for a living. This is how I support my family. They want me to take a paycheck so I can be a TNA guy-that doesn’t concern me. I’m a family man, that’s my job.

“Everyone thinks that we make millions of dollars. That’s not how it works. That’s not what we do. You have to pay your agent, pay to be on the road, pay your taxes. The reality is that it’s not as much as people think. I’m not about to take a pay cut after everything I’ve done.”

Check out the complete A.J. Styles interview with Title Match Wrestling below, or at YouTube.com.

• Hulk Hogan/WWE Crown Jewel Update, Cena’s Cryptic Comments & HBK’s In-Ring Return