Career Timeline of AJ Styles: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how AJ Styles made an impact.
Allen Neal Jones, famously known as AJ Styles, is a prominent American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand. He is celebrated for his exceptional in-ring abilities, including high-flying maneuvers and technical prowess. Styles has achieved considerable success throughout his career, holding championships in various wrestling promotions worldwide, including WWE. His career began in 1998, and he has wrestled for promotions such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), before joining WWE in 2016. He is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
1998: Professional Wrestling Debut
In 1998, AJ Styles debuted in professional wrestling and competed for various independent promotions.
August 1999: Won Television Championship
In August 1999, AJ Styles won the Television Championship in National Championship Wrestling (NCW).
December 1999: NCW Merged with NWA Georgia
In December 1999, National Championship Wrestling (NCW) merged with NWA Georgia to form NWA Wildside, and AJ Styles was renamed A.J. Styles.
March 5, 2001: WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship Tournament
On March 5, 2001, AJ Styles and Air Paris, as the team Air Raid, entered a tournament for the newly created WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship on Nitro but were eliminated in the first round.
July 9, 2001: WWF Tryout Match
On July 9, 2001, AJ Styles had his first World Wrestling Federation (WWF) tryout match against his trainer, Rick Michaels, before the taping of Raw. Styles won but was not offered a contract.
October 26, 2001: Participated in All Pro Wrestling's King of the Indies tournament
On October 26, 2001, Styles participated in All Pro Wrestling's King of the Indies tournament, defeating Jardi Frantz in his first-round match but was eliminated by Christopher Daniels in the quarter-finals the following night.
November 13, 2001: Debut in Xcitement Wrestling Federation
On November 13, 2001, Styles debuted in Xcitement Wrestling Federation (XWF), competing in a battle royal for the XWF Cruiserweight Championship but was unsuccessful in winning the title. Later that night, Styles defeated Josh Mathews in a match taped for XWF television.
December 22, 2001: Won NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship
On December 22, 2001, AJ Styles defeated Rick Michaels for the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship at Christmas Chaos.
2001: Mainstream Exposure in WCW
In 2001, AJ Styles gained initial mainstream exposure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
February 24, 2002: WWA Debut
On February 24, 2002, Styles debuted for Australian promotion World Wrestling All-Stars (WWA), making his pay-per-view debut at The Revolution in a six-way cruiserweight survival elimination match.
May 2002: Signed with NWA: Total Nonstop Action (NWA-TNA)
In May 2002, AJ Styles was signed to a non-exclusive contract by NWA: Total Nonstop Action (NWA-TNA) and also won the TNA X Division Championship.
2002: Ring of Honor Debut
In 2002, AJ Styles debuted in Ring of Honor (ROH) at its third show, 2002's A Night of Appreciation, and quickly became a main eventer.
2002: First WWF Appearance
In 2002, AJ Styles first appeared in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) but declined a developmental contract.
2002: Signs with Ring of Honor
In 2002, AJ Styles simultaneously appeared in Ring of Honor (ROH).
2002: WWF Developmental Contract Declined
In 2002, after two more appearances for the WWF, AJ Styles was offered a developmental deal contract but declined it due to his wife's college plans.
February 2003: Competed at First Anniversary Show
In February 2003, Styles competed against Low Ki and Paul London in a three-way match at ROH's First Anniversary Show, and also won the ROH Tag Team Championship with Amazing Red.
July 2003: NWA World Heavyweight Championship Title Defenses
Throughout July 2003, AJ Styles successfully defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in matches against D'Lo Brown and various opponents, building on his title win from June.
2003: ROH Releases 'Evolution of a Phenom: The Best of AJ Styles'
In 2003, ROH released "Evolution of a Phenom: The Best of AJ Styles", a DVD covering Styles' career from his debut to mid-2003, showcasing his early work and development in the wrestling scene.
February 4, 2004: Tag Team Championship Win
On February 4, 2004, AJ Styles teamed with Abyss to defeat the NWA World Tag Team Champions, Kevin Northcutt and Legend, winning the championship despite Abyss abandoning him during the match.
March 20, 2004: AJ Styles wins IWC Super Indy Championship
On March 20, 2004, AJ Styles returned to IWC and entered the Super Indy Survivor Showdown tournament. He defeated CM Punk in the semi-finals and Colt Cabana in the final to capture the IWC Super Indy Championship.
2004: Final Match for ROH
In 2004, AJ Styles had his final match for ROH after TNA withdrew all of its contracted wrestlers from ROH events.
January 16, 2005: X Division Championship Win
On January 16, 2005, at Final Resolution, AJ Styles won the X Division Championship for the fourth time by defeating Chris Sabin and Petey Williams in an Ultimate X match.
2005: TNA Super X Cup Tournament and X Division Championship Win
In 2005, AJ Styles participated in the TNA Super X Cup Tournament, reaching the semi-finals and then later won the X Division Championship for a fifth time at Unbreakable in a three-way match against Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels.
February 12, 2006: Unsuccessful Title Retainment
On February 12, 2006, AJ Styles was unsuccessful in retaining the title in a triple threat match also featuring Daniels at Against All Odds.
September 17, 2006: AJ Styles debuts in AAA
On September 17, 2006, AJ Styles made his debut for Mexican promotion AAA at Verano de Escándalo, as part of a cross promotion deal between TNA and AAA. Team TNA, which included Styles, defeated Vipers Revolution in a semi-final tournament match and then defeated The Mexican Powers in the finals.
2006: Feud with The Embassy and ROH Tag Team Championship shot
In 2006, After his feud with The Embassy, AJ Styles failed to win the ROH World Championship and also failed to win the ROH Tag Team Championship with Matt Sydal.
2006: ROH Straight Shootin' Interview Release
In 2006, ROH released a shoot interview featuring AJ Styles alongside Christopher Daniels as part of their "Straight Shootin'" series, offering insights into Styles' perspective on the wrestling industry.
January 14, 2007: Loss to Rhino in Last Man Standing Match
On January 14, 2007, at Final Resolution, AJ Styles lost to Rhino in a Last Man Standing match during their feud.
December 20, 2007: AJ Styles competes in IGF
On December 20, 2007, AJ Styles competed in Inoki Genome Federation's third event and defeated fellow TNA star Senshi.
January 6, 2008: Joins The Angle Alliance
On January 6, 2008, at Final Resolution, AJ Styles joined The Angle Alliance after struggling to choose between aligning with Christian Cage and Kurt Angle.
July 26, 2008: AJ Styles debuts in CMLL
On July 26, 2008, AJ Styles made his debut for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), taking part in the promotion's last annual 16-man elimination International Gran Prix tournament, representing Team International. Styles defeated Rey Bucanero of Team Mexico in his first match but was later eliminated by Último Guerrero.
2008: TNA Impact! Video Game Development and Release
In 2008, AJ Styles helped develop the first TNA wrestling video game known as "TNA Impact!", which was released on September 9, 2008, marking his involvement in the digital entertainment sphere of wrestling.
January 22, 2009: Styles Injured in Tables Match
On January 22, 2009, Kurt Angle vowed to end AJ Styles' career and later that night beat Styles in a tables match on Impact!, where Styles was injured (kayfabe).
2009: Headlined Bound for Glory
In 2009, AJ Styles headlined Bound for Glory, the flagship event of TNA.
January 4, 2010: TNA World Heavyweight Title Defense
On January 4, 2010, AJ Styles successfully defended the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Kurt Angle on Impact!.
February 3, 2011: Fortune Turns Face
On February 3, 2011, Fortune, including AJ Styles, turned face by attacking Immortal, who had interfered in a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between Mr. Anderson and Jeff Hardy.
December 16, 2011: AJ Styles returns to AAA
On December 16, 2011, AJ Styles returned to AAA at Guerra de Titanes, as part of the TNA invasion storyline. He faced El Mesías in a match to earn a shot at the AAA World Heavyweight Championship, but was unsuccessful.
2011: Music Video Appearance
In 2011, AJ Styles was featured in the music video for country singer Sarah Darling's song "Something to Do with Your Hands", marking his presence in popular music culture.
January 5, 2012: Fortune Ends
On January 5, 2012, during the final match of the Wild Card Tournament against Magnus and Samoa Joe, Kazarian abandoned AJ Styles and aligned himself with Christopher Daniels, effectively ending Fortune.
February 2013: TNA airs videos at Styles' home
In February 2013, TNA began airing videos at AJ Styles' home, interviewing his wife, a friend, and attempting to interview Styles himself before he angrily forced them to leave. Styles returned with a new look and Calf Killer submission hold.
November 16, 2013: AJ Styles defends TNA World Heavyweight Championship in Wrestle-1
On November 16, 2013, AJ Styles made his debut for Japanese promotion Wrestle-1, successfully defending the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Seiya Sanada.
2013: Headlined Bound for Glory
In 2013, AJ Styles headlined Bound for Glory, the flagship event of TNA.
2013: ROH Releases 'AJ Styles - Styles Clash' DVD
In 2013, ROH released "AJ Styles - Styles Clash", a 2-disc DVD featuring Styles' best ROH matches from 2002 to 2005, showcasing his performances during his time with Ring of Honor.
January 2, 2014: AJ Styles returns to TNA
On January 2, 2014, which was the air date for the December 2 taping of Impact Wrestling, AJ Styles returned to TNA with his championship. He confronted Dixie Carter and Magnus, who had won a tournament to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Styles challenged Magnus to a title unification match the following week on Impact Wrestling, and Magnus accepted.
January 4, 2014: AJ Styles defeats Roderick Strong in ROH return
On January 4, 2014, AJ Styles defeated Roderick Strong in his return match on the Ring of Honor Wrestling taping.
March 1, 2014: AJ Styles injures Lionheart
On March 1, 2014, AJ Styles appeared for Preston City Wrestling, losing to Lionheart. Styles injured Lionheart after the match, giving him the Styles Clash, which broke Lionheart's neck.
March 27, 2014: Styles returns to New Japan Pro-Wrestling
On March 27, 2014, it was reported that AJ Styles would return to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) after the TNA-NJPW partnership in 2008 and had signed a contract with the company.
January 4, 2015: Styles defeats Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 9
On January 4, 2015, AJ Styles faced Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome, where Styles emerged victorious.
January 6, 2015: Styles enters IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture
On January 6, 2015, AJ Styles pinned Hiroshi Tanahashi in an eight-man tag team match, setting up a title match between the two at The New Beginning in Osaka and putting himself back in the IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture.
March 11, 2015: AJ Styles wins FWE Heavyweight Championship
On March 11, 2015, AJ Styles defeated John Hennigan in a best of three falls match to win the FWE Heavyweight Championship. Styles secured the win with the Calf Killer and the Styles Clash.
May 29, 2015: AJ Styles defeats Justin Gabriel at House of Glory
On May 29, 2015, AJ Styles, as the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion, defeated Justin Gabriel at House of Glory High Intensity 4 in Jamaica, New York.
January 4, 2016: Styles unsuccessfully challenges Nakamura for IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 10
On January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome, AJ Styles unsuccessfully challenged Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. It was reported hours later that Styles had given his notice to NJPW that morning.
January 14, 2016: AJ Styles faces Rey Mysterio for the first time
On January 14, 2016, AJ Styles wrestled for 5 Star Wrestling in Sheffield, England, facing and defeating Rey Mysterio for the first time. He later lost to John Morrison in a match for the inaugural 5 Star Wrestling Championship.
January 20, 2016: AJ Styles signs with WWE
On January 20, 2016, after speculation and rumors, it was confirmed that AJ Styles had signed with WWE after extensive discussions with TNA.
January 23, 2016: AJ Styles makes his final independent appearance before WWE
On January 23, 2016, AJ Styles made his final independent appearance before WWE at ROH's TV tapings in Duluth, Georgia. Styles was interrupted by Jay Lethal and The House of Truth, followed by Roderick Strong. Styles then joined Bullet Club in a group hug.
January 24, 2016: Styles re-debuts at Royal Rumble
On January 24, 2016, after being absent from WWE television since 2002, AJ Styles made his re-debut at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. He participated in the Royal Rumble match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, entering at number three and lasting almost 29 minutes.
2016: Returns to WWE and Wins Championship
In 2016, AJ Styles returned to the company, WWE, and won the WWE Championship twice.
2016: TNA Releases 'The Essential AJ Styles Collection'
In 2016, TNA released "The Essential AJ Styles Collection", a 4-disc DVD set showcasing Styles' top 30 greatest TNA matches, highlighting his impact and achievements in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
January 28, 2018: Styles wins handicap championship match at the Royal Rumble
On January 28, 2018, AJ Styles retained the WWE Championship against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a handicap championship match at the Royal Rumble.
January 27, 2019: Styles fails to win WWE title at Royal Rumble
At the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2019, AJ Styles was attacked by Rowan, allowing Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Championship. Styles was unsuccessful in winning the title.
January 31, 2021: Styles participates in Royal Rumble match
On January 31, 2021, AJ Styles entered the Royal Rumble match at number 25, but was eliminated by Braun Strowman.
January 29, 2022: Royal Rumble Appearance and Elimination
On January 29, 2022, at Royal Rumble, AJ Styles entered the match as the number one entrant and eliminated six wrestlers before being eliminated by Madcap Moss.
January 27, 2024: Failed Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Capture
On January 27, 2024, at Royal Rumble, AJ Styles competed in a fatal four-way match against Roman Reigns, LA Knight, and Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship but was unsuccessful in capturing the title.
February 1, 2025: Royal Rumble Appearance and Brand Transfer
On February 1, 2025, AJ Styles returned at Royal Rumble, entering at number 21 and eliminating LA Knight before being eliminated by Logan Paul. Two days later, it was announced that Styles was transferred to the Raw brand.
July 20, 2025: TNA Slammiversary Appearance
On July 20, 2025, AJ Styles made his first appearance at a TNA event in eleven years at TNA Slammiversary, congratulating the newly crowned TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater.
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