After going back and forth on the matter, the WWE appears to have serious interest in signing former TNA Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles.
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According to Wrestlingheadlines.com, while the WWE had some resistance to bringing him on board in the past, they have changed their tune on Styles and would like to bring him into the company.
Styles is the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion and is under contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling, which he considers home, while he also has some dates with Ring of Honor.
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Despite him being inked to a deal, the WWE is still interested in signing him at some point.
Per the report, the WWE is looking to have three touring brands in 2016 -- with their main roster and NXT being two of them -- and is hoping to sign as much talent as possible, which is why their interest in Styles has shifted.
Styles, 37, was a mainstay in TNA from 2002-14, but after contract talks between the two sides broke down last December, he decided to part ways with the company after nearly 12 years in the fold.
Styles later revealed that Dixie Carter's company offered him as much as $220,000 a year to stay with them, but he opted to become a free agent and return to the independent circuit, re-joining ROH and NJPW.
Given TNA's problems with paying their talent on time as of late and the rumors that Destination America may have an out clause that causes Impact Wrestling to be dropped from its schedule next year, Styles may have made the right choice.
There is said to be a lot of anger among talents in TNA as they've been kept out of the loop by the organization.
Styles is a three-time NWA Heavyweight Champion and two-time TNA Heavyweight Champion among his many accolades through the years in the squared circle.
If the WWE does end up signing Styles, it would follow a similar trend to fellow Indy darling Samoa Joe. The WWE had no interest in Joe over the years, but they ended up bringing him in to work exclusively for the NXT brand.
Joe made his debut at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable last week and interrupted the main event between NXT Heavyweight Champion Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, causing the match to end in a no decision and placing his footprints on the company.
It's unknown if Styles will consider following in the same footsteps, but for now the WWE reportedly has interest in the former TNA stalwart
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