WWE Superstar AJ Styles addressed the status of his signature long hair during a recent interview, stating that significant changes regarding his appearance will occur once he decides to retire from professional wrestling. Speaking with Kenny McIntosh of Inside The Ropes, Styles disclosed that his hair will be the first thing to change when his in-ring career concludes.
Styles has maintained long hair for the majority of his WWE tenure, which began in January 2016. However, he admitted that the look will not continue into his post-wrestling life.
“When retirement does finally come, that will be the first thing that goes is probably the hair,” Styles stated.
He elaborated on the specific measure he intends to take, which involves removing the hair entirely rather than returning to a shorter cut.
“I’m thinking about it. I’m thinking about a full shave. Just go, completely gone, all of it,” Styles said.
While the “full shave” is the plan for retirement, Styles noted that a trim is likely to happen sooner due to input from his spouse. He noted that his wife, Wendy Jones, has expressed dissatisfaction with the current length of his hair.
“According to my wife, it’s gonna be cut soon, like it’s getting way too long, and she doesn’t like it,” Styles explained. “So she’s like, repeatedly telling me, I’m gonna have to cut a couple inches off. Not cut it all off now”.
The Evolution of AJ Styles: From “Emo” to “Soccer Mom”
Styles reflected on the various stages of his physical appearance throughout his career, categorizing them by the specific hairstyles he sported during those periods. He acknowledged the fan descriptors and internet memes that have tracked his hair growth over the last two decades.
Styles referred to his early career look as “Emo AJ Styles“. This period corresponds with his initial rise to prominence in TNA Wrestling and the independent circuit in the early 2000s. During this time, Styles sported short hair with swooped bangs, a style common in the early 2000s and often associated with the emo music subculture.
He then discussed his early WWE run, acknowledging the moniker given to him by fans on social media: “Soccer Mom AJ Styles“. When Styles debuted in WWE, his hair had grown to a medium length, often falling in a layered style around his face. This specific look generated discourse online, with viewers comparing the cut to a stereotypical suburban mother’s hairstyle. By using the term, Styles demonstrated an awareness of the online conversation regarding his presentation.
He described his current phase simply as “his hair is too long AJ Styles“.
The Logic Behind the Shaved Head
While Styles is considering a completely shaved head for retirement, he explained the logistical reasoning behind the decision. He noted that the process of growing hair back out from a shaved state presents aesthetic challenges he wishes to avoid.
“The thing is, if I want to grow out my hair after doing that, it’s going to look really silly,” Styles remarked. “There’s always that point”.
This concern about the transition phase of hair growth appears to be a factor in his hesitation to shave it while still appearing on television weekly.
“Skin head AJ Styles,” McIntosh said. Styles responded, “Just a shaved head, not a skin head. We’ll see”.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Inside The Ropes with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can watch or listen to the full interview on the Inside The Ropes YouTube channel.
