AJ Styles: Lack of live events making it harder for wrestlers to call matches, says veteran

On the latest Phenomenally Retro podcast, AJ Styles argued that the decline in live events has reduced the in-ring reps younger talent need to confidently call matches on the fly. Styles said many veterans could “call it in the ring” because they had wrestled a wide variety of opponents repeatedly, but with fewer live shows and increasingly varied move sets among new stars, improvising in real time is becoming more difficult.

Styles also noted that modern shows often require rehearsals for camera placement and run-ins to get the best shots, rather than rehearsing wrestling spots themselves. Since retiring at the Royal Rumble after a 26-year career and his WWE Hall of Fame induction, Styles has been working backstage at the Performance Center — a role he appears to be embracing, with younger talents publicly acknowledging his one-on-one coaching.
Originally reported by Wrestling Observer: https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aj-styles-links-wrestlers-struggles-to-call-matches-in-real-time-to-lack-of-live-events/.