AJ Styles retired from in-ring action after losing to Gunther at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. He has since been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, and has been voicing his thoughts on the Phenomenally Retro podcast.
In a recent episode, Styles discussed the recent WWE releases. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of The New Day were notably released from their contracts after reportedly not agreeing to the paycut offered by TKO. Alongside them, Tonga Loa and JC Mateo (fka Jeff Cobb) were also released.
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AJ Styles and Cobb know each other well from their time together in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and the former WWE Champion recently commented on Cobb’s release from the Stamford-based promotion.
“Jeff is awesome. Again, I don’t understand it, but I’m sure there’s reasons. I’m sure that WWE has their reasons, not sure what they are, they seem to be doing pretty well right now, but there’s always reasons for everything,” he said.
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Throughout his WWE run, Mateo was aligned with Solo Sikoa’s faction, now known as the MFTs. Despite the group winning the tag team championship during his reign, he didn’t have a prominent role despite his capabilities. It now remains to be seen where Mateo goes next after the end of his run with the sports entertainment juggernaut.
AJ Styles speaks out after recent WWE releases
In a previous edition of the Phenomenally Retro podcast, AJ Styles spoke about the release of over 20 superstars following WrestleMania 42. He also offered them some advice to deal with the heartbreak of getting released:
“My biggest fear in my own career was that I wouldn’t get to finish. It’s kind of one of those things where they didn’t get to finish what they signed to do and I know that’s going to bother them. Don’t let it bother you. Don’t let this business destroy who you are. You are obviously great because you made it to one of the biggest wrestling companies in the world. There’s no doubt about that. We have no idea what the circumstances were to get you where you couldn’t be there in the WWE anymore. But that doesn’t mean it’s over for you. So, just keep that in mind. Keep your head up and see whether it takes you next. Who knows where that’d be. It maybe wrestling, maybe not, but just don’t let it destroy you.”
It now remains to be seen where the recently released WWE Superstars next appear.
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Edited by Arsh Das
