AJ Styles Defends Grayson Waller’s Controversial NXT Promo

AJ Styles has weighed in on the fallout from Grayson Waller’s promo on the July 28 episode of NXT, saying he doesn’t see a problem with what Waller said. During that segment, Waller took shots at his former tag team partner Austin Theory, the NXT men’s roster, TNA, and Cruz Montana, among others, sparking plenty of reaction from fans and wrestlers alike in the days since.

Styles, never one to shy away from sharing his opinion, said the promo didn’t bother him, acknowledging that some of the lines Waller delivered likely stung the people they were aimed at, but framing that as simply part of the business. His comments amount to a reminder that pointed, personal-sounding promos are a time-honored tool in pro wrestling — and that performers on the receiving end are typically in on the bit, even when the jabs feel real.

Waller has built a reputation as one of WWE’s sharpest talkers precisely because his promos blur the line between scripted insult and shoot commentary. That style has made him a polarizing figure — beloved by segments of the fanbase for his cockiness and delivery, while others feel he sometimes pushes into territory that reads as genuinely mean-spirited rather than clever heat-generation. Taking aim at Austin Theory, his real-life former partner in the short-lived Waller Effect/Theory pairing, and calling out names across NXT and TNA, only intensified that debate this time around.

Styles’ take carries some weight given his standing as a veteran who has worked in nearly every major promotion and understands the mechanics of promo work about as well as anyone active today. By characterizing the segment as ‘part of the show,’ he’s essentially validating Waller’s approach and pushing back on any suggestion that the promo crossed a line that needed addressing internally.

It’s also a notable moment for how visible reactions to individual NXT segments have become across the wrestling media ecosystem. A five-minute talking segment generating this much discussion — enough that a veteran like Styles is fielding questions about it — speaks to how much attention Waller commands, and how much scrutiny WWE’s creative team faces when a promo gets personal, even in a business built on manufactured conflict.

Whether Theory, Montana, or anyone else named in the promo responds publicly remains to be seen. For now, Styles’ comments serve as a veteran’s stamp of approval on a segment that clearly got under some people’s skin — which, by Waller’s own design, may have been exactly the point.