After a lengthy absence due to injury, former WWE Champion AJ Styles made his triumphant return to SmackDown on Oct. 4, 2024.
Unfortunately, a great match between Styles and Carmelo Hayes would come to an abrupt end when the Phenomenal One suffered an injury.
WWE reported that Styles had suffered a “mid-foot ligament sprain,” but continued to show footage of Styles and the injury, prompting fans to suggest that maybe this whole thing was a work and part of a storyline.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be the case.
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Styles recently took to social media to reply to a questioning fan that he was injured.
“It’s called a Lisfranc injury,” Styles revealed on X. “Look it up, it sucks! I thought when I took off my boot, I would have a bone sticking out of my foot.”
It’s called a Lisfranc injury. Look it up, it sucks! I thought when I took off my boot. I would have a bone sticking out of my foot. https://t.co/7eEHiHC0Zg
— AJ Styles (@AJStylesOrg) October 15, 2024
Another fan noted that a Lisfranc injury is known for ending “running backs’ seasons and took Cam Newton out in 2016.”
“Bingo,” said Styles. “As the kids say… I’m cooked!”
While it would certainly be sad to lose the Phenomenal One, he can definitely look back on his career with pride.
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Styles made his professional wrestling debut in 1998 with independent promotions before he was eventually picked up for random appearances on WCW and WWF (now WWE).
Styles would work with smaller promotions again before joining Ring of Honor, one of the most prestigious independent companies of all time, and engage in feuds with CM Punk, Jimmy Rave, and Brian Danielson, among others.
With ROH, Styles was the inaugural ROH Pure Champion and also won the ROH World Tag Team Championship with Amazing Red.
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Styles then signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and would remain with the company from 2002-2014.
At one point WWE’s top competitor, Styles would become one of the main faces of TNA, participating in memorable feuds with Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, Sting, and Jay Lethal.
Styles would go on to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice, and the TNA X Division Championship six times.
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After a return to ROH and wrestling with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Style surprisingly joined WWE in 2016, engaging in feuds with John Cena, the Undertaker, and Dean Ambrose (now Jon Moxley).
With WWE, Styles is a two-time WWE Champion, a one-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, and a three-time WWE United States Champion.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Styles the No. 1 wrestler in the world in 2010.
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