AJ Styles Reveals Dream Opponents He Never Faced: Penta & Rey Mysterio
AJ Styles, recently inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, has reflected on his illustrious career, revealing a few dream matches that unfortunately never materialized. Speaking recently, the “Phenomenal One” expressed regret over not having the opportunity to face Penta and Chad Gable before his retirement from in-ring competition.
Styles officially retired after a loss to GUNTHER at the Royal Rumble on January 31st, bringing an conclude to a decade-long run with WWE that saw him achieve championship success and consistently deliver high-quality matches. Despite having shared the ring with many of the industry’s top stars, the desire to face certain opponents remained unfulfilled.
“I wonder what it would be like to be in there with Penta, to move back-and-forth,” Styles said. “I’d love to get back in the ring with Chad Gable. I say I’d love that. Here I am retired, so that’s not gonna happen.” He acknowledged the common sentiment among veteran wrestlers, noting the tendency to look back and wonder “what if” regarding potential matchups. “The old timers, we always say this, ‘cause I’m one of those guys now. ‘Oh, we would have had a great match with that kid.’ There’s so many of those guys here.”
The admiration for Penta is particularly noteworthy, as the two have crossed paths in WWE programming, most recently teaming up with Dragon Lee to take on The Judgment Day – Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh – in a six-man tag team match. Footage of that match shows the dynamic between the three competitors. Prior to that, Styles and Penta joined forces on , specifically to battle The Judgment Day, with their sights set on Dominik Mysterio’s Intercontinental Championship. This suggests a pre-existing respect and a potential for a compelling singles rivalry that never fully developed.
Beyond specific opponents, Styles also touched upon the importance of mentorship and open communication within the wrestling industry. He stressed the value of encouraging younger performers to ask questions, emphasizing that their perspectives often mirror those of the fans.
“So there’s not any wrong questions. It doesn’t matter how new you are to this entertainment business. Just ask the question, dude,” Styles advised. “Because sometimes I don’t suppose like a fan, and at that point in their career, they still are. We all are. So, just ask questions.” He illustrated this point with a recent experience taking his son to an independent wrestling reveal, where a particular move was lost on his son due to its unfamiliarity. “It would just dawned on me like, ‘Oh, wow.’ That, you know, a lot of times we forget that there’s always new fans out there. So we have to sometimes when they don’t know our stuff create sure we do it at least once so that it can be counted later on.”
Styles highlighted the need for experienced wrestlers to remember the perspective of new fans, explaining how even seemingly simple maneuvers can be confusing without proper context. He used the example of an “up and over” sequence, explaining that its impact is heightened by the preceding action, such as being thrown into the corner and enduring a shoulder attack. “You know we forget about like a simple up and over. It’s because before that, he threw us in the corner and freaking tore our guts out by putting a shoulder in it. So the next time it happens if the up and over happens and he takes the buckle, and then we can get on it.”
The announcement of Styles’ Hall of Fame induction, which came as a surprise even to him, caps off a remarkable career. The Undertaker delivered the news following Styles’ farewell speech in Atlanta, Georgia, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential and respected performers in professional wrestling history. Even as he may be stepping away from the ring, Styles’ contributions to the industry will undoubtedly be felt for years to come, and his reflections offer valuable insight into the art and evolution of professional wrestling.
Looking ahead, Penta is currently scheduled to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, continuing his pursuit of championship gold. The match promises to be a significant opportunity for Penta to showcase his skills and potentially fulfill some of the potential that Styles recognized in him.