AJ Styles monumental return to TNA Wrestling on the companys January 15 debut episode on AMC was met with deafening chants and a thunderous ovationbut not everyone was sold on how the moment played out.
On a recent episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff gave a full breakdown of why he felt the presentation of Styles return missed the mark, despite being heavily promoted in advance. When co-host Conrad Thompson asked whether the moment wouldve landed better as a surprise, Bischoff didnt hesitate.
Bischoff made it clear that while he understood the business decision to advertise AJ Styles appearanceespecially for a high-stakes debut on a new network like AMCthe actual execution of the entrance took the wind out of what could have been a truly unforgettable moment.
Bischoff also mentioned a surprising moment involving Dixie Carter during the show, noting that the crowd response wasnt as warm as expected.
While the return of AJ Styles was a massive deal for the newly-rebranded TNA, Bischoff believes that in the world of wrestling, timing and presentation can often outweigh pure star power. For a debut show meant to set the tone for a new era, he thinks the energy couldveand shouldvebeen much stronger.
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Should TNA have saved AJ Styles return as a surprise or was the build-up worth it? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
