AJ Styles Says He Wants Shawn Michaels At Royal Rumble 2017

WWE World Champion AJ Styles wants to face the currently-retired Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, “The Face That Runs The Place” said he wants Michaels in the Heart-Break Kid’s hometown of San Antonio, TX, where the 2017 Royal Rumble will be hosted.

“I’d love to learn from him, but who’s to say if that’s going to happen,” AJ explained. “Right now, it’s all speculation and rumors that I’m finding out like everyone else is, but man, what a match that would be.”

Styles also addressed Ryback’s story about Vince McMahon wanting Ryback to “squash” Styles at WrestleMania 32. That didn’t end up happening and rather than squashing him, Vince McMahon gave Styles a main event push and eventually the World Championship.

“I think what Ryback said may have been true at that time,” Styles said of Ryback’s story, which would have occurred either before or shortly after his debut.

“I don’t know that Vince knew exactly what he had in AJ Styles, and I think his opinion of me changed somewhat quickly,” explained Styles. “That’s OK, I’ve been doing that my whole life—changing people’s opinion of me and what I’m capable of. I’m not mad at Ryback. If it was said, it was said, and I’m not mad at Vince McMahon. Opinions vary, and they change.

You can read the WWE World Champion’s entire interview at SI.com.

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