AJ Styles says fans swarmed him at WWE WrestleMania 42.
Speaking on the Phenomenally Retro Podcast, new WWE Hall of Famer J Styles addressed the bad security situation and fan behavior wrestlers had to endure during WrestleMania 42 weekend. He explained how, after hours of signing autographs and taking pictures, it can be overwhelming for the superstars if a large number of fans approach them.
AJ Styles also noted that he’d be happy to engage with the fans outside if he were alone, but can’t do that if he’s with his family.
“Here’s the thing that fans gotta accept. Just because we’re walking through the hotel to get to our room, we’re not even hanging out; we’re just trying to get to our room. We have been at signings all day, and you get exhausted, because we’re trying to be in a good mood for you at that point for sure. Especially for people who paid to see,” AJ Styles began.
“We want to make sure you get your money’s worth. It’s a little exhausting. I know you’re like, ‘Well, what are you gonna do? All you do is stand there.’ But we’re doing it for a couple of hours,” AJ Styles continued. “I don’t think anybody was impolite to a degree. For instance, I’m not taking pictures because once I start, I’ll never stop. So if I have my family, I can’t do that.”
AJ Styles says fans ‘swarmed him like bees’
“I said, ‘Hey, I’m not taking pictures right now. I’m sorry,’ and they just swarm me like bees,” AJ Styles revealed. “Even this one guy, even though I told him ‘No pictures. I can’t,’ he was walking and just doing that and laying on me. I’m like, ‘Whoa, whoa,’ and finally, security was able to find me and take me to the elevator.
“I understand that they think they know the superstars because they’ve watched them for so long. But at the same time, you gotta remember that they’re real people. It can get overwhelming when that many people swarm you like that. So, I get it. No means no, pictures or whatnot. If they ask you not to, chill out,” AJ Styles said.
“I don’t normally do a lot of stuff at airports because the people who have waited there so they can sign five or six or seven of their things are going to sell them. So they have ruined it for a lot of people. If I see you outside and it’s just me and you at a restaurant, I’m happy to sign something for you. I’ll take a picture with you. That doesn’t bother me one bit. But if we’re in a group of hundreds of people, I can’t do that,” AJ Styles said.
Styles says security was overworked during WWE WrestleMania 42 weekend
Speaking further, AJ Styles didn’t put the entire blame on the security. He noted they were overworked and that they didn’t expect such behavior from fans.
“It can be difficult in all these different situations. So security was, you know, there wasn’t enough, and they were overworked, I’m sure, because of all the stuff they had to do. They had no idea that it could be this bad,” AJ Styles said.
AJ Styles is the latest WWE legend to voice out in this issue. Hall of Famer Booker T called for better security after a fan filmed him inside the bathroom. CM Punk had an altercation with a fan who filmed AJ Lee and Bayley despite them telling him not to. Damian Priest also reportedly helped a female star escape a group of fans.
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