WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles recently shared his thoughts on Will Ospreay using the Styles Clash during a match against Samoa Joe. The former WWE Champion praised Ospreay for successfully pulling off the move on a longtime rival.
At AEW Double or Nothing 2026, Will Ospreay faced Samoa Joe in the Men’s Owen Hart Cup quarterfinals. During the match, Ospreay surprised fans by hitting Joe with the Styles Clash, a move made famous by AJ Styles throughout his career. Styles later praised Ospreay for pulling off the move and said he has no issue with younger wrestlers using his signature moves.
AJ Styles praises Will Ospreay for pulling off the Styles Clash on Samoa Joe
Speaking on the Phenomenally Retro podcast, Styles admitted that delivering the move to Samoa Joe is not easy and recalled only doing it a handful of times himself. He said, “I can tell you, hitting [Samoa] Joe with the Styles Clash is not an easy task. I’ve done it a couple times in my career, but man, he pulled it off flawlessly. So it’s awesome.”
Styles also discussed his interest in helping develop future wrestling talent through an invite-only training facility similar to the Hart Dungeon run by Natalya and TJ Wilson. “I would like to get something like Nattie and TJ [Wilson] have with their Dungeon, because it’s an invite-only kind of experience. You’re invited, that means that you’re well enough known that we know you can get in here and you can hold your own in this ring.”
He explained that he would like to work with WWE ID talent and help them improve before receiving opportunities with WWE. “To have something like that close to me so that I can work with WWE ID guys and girls, that would be great, that would be important. That way I could see the progression.”
“I could help them out with the little things, and help them get to that next level. Maybe they’re hoping to get a tryout and before that tryout we can get in there and work together a little bit. That would be something I would like to do.” [H/T: Fightful]
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