WWE champion AJ Styles is well-known from his time in then-named TNA wrestling. The X-Division pioneer was there from the beginning in 2002; however, the company began to have financial problems due to bringing in big money guys like Hulk Hogan.
Styles' contract was nearing its end in late 2013 and TNA officials asked him to take a major pay cut. According to Styles on Title Match Wrestling, this ultimately led to him leaving the company:
"I think saying 60 percent is being generous," Styles said.
"It's kind of crazy when that's the first offer, you're like 'wait, what? That doesn't make any sense. I've worked here for 11 years, hard for 11 years. I've gotten more popular over the last year, so I don't know what's going on. This doesn't make much sense to me.'"
"Not fair to the talents. Somewhere [TNA] wasted a lot of money. The guys under contract, the guys who busted their butts are the ones who have to pay the price," stated Styles.
"That doesn't make sense. That's not fair to them. They're the ones who put their bodies on the line for TNA. To punish them because of your mistakes is terrible."
"I've been a company guy for 11 years, That's exactly who I've been. I've always protected and took up for TNA. I'm in the prime of my career and I've learned so much. I'm able to deliver exactly what they want better now than ever. This is what I do for a living. This is how I support my family. They want me to take a paycheck so I can be a TNA guy-that doesn't concern me. I'm a family man, that's my job.
"Everyone thinks that we make millions of dollars. That's not how it works. That's not what we do. You have to pay your agent, pay to be on the road, pay your taxes. The reality is that it's not as much as people think. I'm not about to take a pay cut after everything I've done. "
Styles stated that he would’ve taken the same money he was already making for a new contract, but TNA never offered him the same deal or anything close to that.
"Because TNA mismanaged their money, I have to pay the price? That's not how it works and I will not take a backhanded slap like that," said Styles.