How AJ Styles’ Return To TNA Wrestling Came About

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AJ Styles is officially returning to TNA at Slammiversary, over a decade after he last appeared in person for the promotion. For years, Styles’
name was synonymous with TNA, and his legacy with the company continues to be well-remembered to this day.

Styles’ return was first teased by TNA President Carlos Silva, only to be later confirmed for the Slammiversary event. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Silva explained the delay in announcing Styles for the show.

“We went through that all week as it all came together. We wanted to make sure the logistics of getting AJ to New York were set. As you know as well as anyone, these wrestlers are running around the world. You gotta make sure they can get there.”

Silva didn’t want to announce Styles until everything was finalized for his return to TNA. With that in mind, keeping Styles’ return a surprise was never an option for management.

“It’s AJ Styles. He’s returning, and we just wanted to tell everyone so that everyone could have the best chance to see him at Slammiversary.”

While his exact role at Slammiversary remains unconfirmed, speculation is already swirling. Some believe he could be setting up a future title match against current TNA World Champion Trick Williams. Regardless of what goes down, the return of “The Phenomenal One” has injected a fresh wave of buzz into TNA Slammiversary 2025.