WWE Reportedly Turned Down Opportunity To Have AJ Styles Inducted Into TNA Hall Of Fame

AJ Styles was reportedly being considered for TNA's Hall of Fame inductions at Bound For Glory on Saturday. The pay-per-view saw the inductions of late TNA co-founder Bob Ryder and Tag Team Champion Rhino, the latter who still wrestles with the company and appeared in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match during the Countdown to Bound For Glory. 

"Fightful Select" has since reported that both AJ Styles and Monty Brown — known in WWE as Marcus Cor Von — were considered, with the former even prompting inquiry from TNA about an induction. "Fightful" has reported that the possibility was broached with WWE, who passed on the opportunity, though the reasoning is yet unclear. The reported belief within TNA is that it was due to Styles' recent injury or active storyline. 

There was also said to be a hope that he would be open to wrestling in TNA, but again it's unclear if discussions were held. Styles made a non-WWE appearance recently when he returned to Japan to wrestle Naomichi Marufuji for NOAH in July, but sustained an ankle injury during "WWE SmackDown" on October 4. Reports have since emerged that there were plans to work a retirement and farewell tour storyline ahead of the injury and plans were still in place when they were waiting for the results of an MRI scan to assess the injury. 

With WWE and TNA working together extensively throughout the year, sending stars either way, it's still possible that a return to TNA — one-off or otherwise — could factor into such a storyline. The "Fightful" report doesn't note anything further on the consideration of Brown, who wrestled with TNA throughout the 2000s before joining WWE. He has not wrestled a match since retiring in 2007.