Eric Bischoff Likens WWE Star AJ Styles' Journey To Former WCW Star With 'Balls'

Comparing AJ Styles to Disco Inferno might seem as incongruous as comparing Kurt Angle to New Jack, but leave it to Eric Bischoff to find a way. On a recent "83 Weeks," Bischoff praised the WCW midcarder's ability to embrace and evolve what would otherwise be considered a silly gimmick. Bischoff said Styles faced a similar challenge in TNA playing second fiddle to Ric Flair. Bischoff praised Styles for embracing the role despite privately thinking it was beneath him.

"For Disco to not only embrace the character but come up with ideas to make that character better and more entertaining, it takes a lot of balls to do that," Bischoff said. "AJ Styles had to go through much of the same thing when he was Ric Flair's protege. AJ hated that...but he did it. He worked really hard at it. He committed to it. He learned how to become a character."

Styles would be paired with Flair in early 2010, even tagging with him to face Abyss and Hulk Hogan on an episode of TNA Impact! But as things go in wrestling, that alliance eventually dissolved, sparking a feud between Styles and Flair's new stable, Fourtune. Bischoff applauded Styles for putting personal feelings about TNA's creative aside to do what's best for business. 

"For a young talent [to] learn how to embrace a character that is so not them, you're on your way to becoming a great performer when you can learn how to do that," Bischoff said. "As opposed to letting your own ego and your own sense of who your character should be stop you dead in your tracks."

Styles likely had to set his ego aside again after sustaining an injury on October 4's "SmackDown." It was promoted as his first match in three months.