A.J. Styles’ WWE Backlash matchup against Dean Ambrose was an instant classic on the two and a half hour pay-per-view event, which aired Sunday, Sept. 11.
In the end, A.J. Styles would become the WWE World Champion for the first time in his WWE career in a heart-pounding showdown. A.J. Styles has long been considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the business due to his healthy lifestyle, daily diet and workout plan.
— AJStyles.Org (@AJStylesOrg) August 25, 2016
WWE commentator Jim Ross has even labeled A.J. Styles one of the best ring performers working today in the WWE. The WWE World Championship was well-earned for Styles. It seemed neither Dean Ambrose, “The Lunatic Fringe”, nor A.J. Styles could secure the win until Styles lived up to his villainous reputation by sneaking in a low-blow to Ambrose when the referee was temporarily down.
Dean Ambrose has struggled to connect with fans since winning the WWE World Championship, and A.J. Styles’ popularity has risen since capturing two victories over 15-time WWE Champion John Cena. The rivalry between Cena and Styles will likely lead to a WWE Championship match sometime soon.
The 39-year-old, nicknamed “The Phenomenal One”, first appeared in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in 2002 when it was known as WWF (World Wrestling Federation).
But he turned down a developmental deal with the company and has had a long career in other wrestling leagues, including ROH (Ring of Honor), TNA (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling), and the NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling). Between the NJPW, ROH, TNA, and WWE, Styles has held 24 total championships, including eight world championships.
A.J. Styles’ Insane Workout Plan
A.J. Styles’ height is only 5’11, but he weighs in at 218 pounds. Styles, whose real name is Allen Neal Jones, is one of the most popular wrestlers of 2016. He is currently the zone in the WWE wrestling ring, and the muscular wrestler brings that same mentality to the gym with a different workout style throughout his week.
A.J. Styles begins his intense workout with a warm-up of jogging and pull-ups. His daily workout plan then includes two to three hours in the gym. The following is Styles’ five-day weekly workout schedule:
Monday, Legs and Calves Workout: Styles will perform seated calf raises, standing weightless calf raises, standing single-leg curls, leg presses, leg extensions, squats, hack squats, and single-leg extensions.
Tuesday, Chest Workout: His chest workout will include incline barbell presses, machine flies, cable flies, inclined machine presses, and some bench press sets.
Wednesday, Arms Workout: Styles will perform preacher curls, standing barbell curls, seated dumbbell curls, overhead cambered extensions, rope press downs, lying triceps extensions, seated barbell extensions, and single-arm cable press downs.
Thursday, Shoulder Workout: Thursday is shoulders for A.J. Styles, and he performs seated military exercises, dumbbell laterals, rear-delt machine flies, machine overhead presses, machine side laterals, and standing barbell presses.
Friday Workout: On Friday, A.J. Styles will perform deadlifts, high rows, arm dumbbell rows, pull-ups, bent barbell rows, shrugs, and lat pull downs.
A.J. Style Abs Workout: For an abs workout, Styles will also do five sets of leg raises and bicycle crunches, four sets of planks, side crunches, and dumbbell front squats, and two to three sets of reverse crunches.
Will A.J. Styles Win the WWE Title Again?
Given how good A.J. Styles has been lately, he should likely be considered the early favorite in a potential WWE World Championship matchup against John Cena.
That being said, Cena is known for his brutal workouts as well, including an intense arm workout. Cena is often found doing arm exercises like standing cable curls, seated dumbbell curls, overhead cambered extension exercises, seated barbell extensions, lying triceps extensions, rope press downs, and single-arm cable press downs.
John Cena also does a series of back, shoulder, chest, and leg and calve workouts. He also does a set of 60 crunches at the end of every workout session. Needless to say, Cena should have a good matchup against A.J. Styles when the time comes for Styles to depend his title.
Sources:
Docking, N., “WWE Backlash Live – Results and updates as AJ Styles becomes WWE World Champion,” Mirror website, Sept. 12, 2016; http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/wrestling/wwe-backlash-live-results-updates-8814644.