AJ Styles Speaks on Why NXT is Vital Step When Transitioning to WWE

WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles doesn't believe the way he transitioned to WWE, is necessarily how everyone else should do it.

AJ Styles | Netflix

After months of rumors that he was WWE bound, former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion EVIL — now known as Naraku — made his debut late last month on an episode of NXT.

With more than a decade of experience under his belt, some may be questioning the need for him to start off his WWE tenure in the company's so-called developmental brand, but the move makes sense to AJ Styles.

The newly inducted WWE Hall of Famer expressed the importance for some industry veterans to spend time in NXT during the latest episode of The Phenomenally Retro Podcast.

AJ Styles dealt with a very tough learning curve when he came to WWE

“Shinsuke Nakamura was also in NXT. I’m just throwing that out there," Styles pointed out. There’s certain things that we all need to learn in NXT, that will prepare us for the main roster. Even I had to learn quick, ‘Holy crap, this they don’t do this, they do this, this.' It was a learning process and I had to learn quick because I was on there. I couldn’t afford to screw up or mess up... I wanted to stay on the main roster and I had to impress the guy in charge.”

Safe to say that Styles was able to do just that. It took him just over 7 months to capture his first WWE Championship, but just because he was able to adapt and adjust doesn't mean that he believes it's the best way for people to learn the WWE system.

“There’s no producers in Japan, because it doesn’t matter where the cameras are. They just shoot. They don’t know. At least when I was there, they didn’t know that it was entertainment. It was a sport. So the camera guys were not involved in the booking meetings, whatever, the meetings in general."

Lince Dorado and Naraku | The CW Network

"We need to know where all this stuff is. It’s important. At least I had TNA. Before I had New Japan, I was in TNA. I knew where the cameras were, and I knew to play to the cameras. But still, there’s certain things that we want to have in place before you go to the main roster.”

It's been quite the week for Naraku. He made his in-ring debut this past Tuesday night with a victory over Lince Dorado, then on Sunday, he and former WWE Women's Champion IYO SKY announced their marriage on social media after spending over a decade together.

The newly weds said they were very happy and excited to continue their wrestling careers together in WWE.