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Just 48 hours before he steps into the ring with Edge at Wrestlemania Night Two, AJ Styles stopped to chat with PWInsider.com at WWE's Wrestlemania Media Day, discussing fan expectations for his match, the future he envisions for himself and more.
Mike Johnson: We are here with the phenomenal AJ Styles. This weekend, WrestleMania 38. Big match with Edge.
AJ Styles: Yes!
Edge: So I'll ask the easy question and then the hard question.
AJ Styles: Okay.
Mike Johnson: When you have a match this anticipated by fans, where there's so much speculation and so much hope for an all-out classic in the Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage vein, does it make your job easier or harder compared to your average, so to speak, bout on a Monday Night Raw?
AJ Styles: Is this the hard question or the easy question?
Mike Johnson: This is the easy question.
AJ Styles: Well, this is for me, the expectations, when they're so high and people expect so much, it's hard to reach those expectations. So I think it's very hard, very hard, but we're not going to go out there and try to please everybody. We're going to go out there and tell the match, the story within that match that needs to be told. And hopefully, people will find it as entertaining as we do.
Mike Johnson: Here's the hard question.
AJ Styles: All right.
Mike Johnson: So every so often, we hear, "Oh, this is the end of AJ Styles. It's the last contract he's ever going to sign." When do you envision really you'd like to be done? It seems like the longer you're here, the more entrenched you get into the mythos, the more unique opportunities they give you. You're a long way away from that first day when you debuted at the Royal Rumble.
AJ Styles: For sure.
Mike Johnson: So in your mind, how do you envision the next couple of years for yourself?
AJ Styles: That is a tough question because I'm not sure how I envision it. I just hope that I'm able to stay healthy and excited enough to finish strong. I just want to keep going as hard as I can until I decide it's time to hang them up. The Undertaker was able to decide it's time to hang them up. I want to make the decision. I hope that's what I'm able to do in my career.
Mike Johnson: When you look at the opportunity this weekend to weave and create something magical with Edge, which just a couple of years ago was unthinkable....
AJ Styles: Right.
Mike Johnson: What does that moment mean to you?
AJ Styles: I love it, man. This is what it's about. Honestly, it's about the moments and I feel like that we can make some moments, Edge and myself, out there at WrestleMania, biggest stage of them all. That's exciting. I mean, right now, I'm getting the cold chills because, man, this is what it's all about. This is everything that we worked for is for this moment, and I get to have it with a guy that I respect, who understands his character, has great ideas. It's exciting.
Mike Johnson: All right. Last question. This will be the first full-on WrestleMania since we had a horrible couple of years. It's full house, you know WWE is hoping for sold out, thousands upon thosands per night. Thoughts and anticipation on being able to walk that aisle with that energy compared to even just returning to the road, Madison Square Garden, places like that, that everybody loves working in, everybody attending. But this is a different animal. So last question, thoughts on being able to return to where we were before a couple of years ago?
AJ Styles: I'm excited about it. I really am. We took for granted, I think all of us did, not being able to attend the WWE Pro Wrestling in general, and now being able to do that. And us, the performers, not being able to see the fans, we all took it for granted. I think we're all ready to go out there and put it all together, have a good time. That's what it's all about.
Mike Johnson: I know they got to pull you to talk to some other people. Appreciate the time. Wish you and the family nothing, but the best. I think everyone is looking forward to the match.
AJ Styles: Appreciate it.
AJ Styles vs. Edge for the first time ever will take place tonight at Wrestlemania 38 Night Two.
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