AJ Styles Reveals His WWE Entrance Music Was Originally Made For Another Star
From 2012 to 2020, the songwriting and producing duo known as "CFO$" created the theme music for WWE Superstars. CFO$'s profile on the Spotify audio streaming website shows that their most popular theme is AJ Styles' "Phenomenal", which has been listened to over 18,000,000 times. But originally, that well-liked theme that often has fans dancing in the crowd was intended for a different wrestler.
"It wasn't made for me," AJ Styles stated during a recent interview with "Inside The Ropes." "It was made for [James Storm]. And then I kind of explained what I'd like to [hear for my theme song], and it was that song that they presented."
Storm is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, where he wrestled full time from 2002 to 2017 and became Impact World Champion, a 7-time Impact World Tag Team Champion, and TNA King Of The Mountain Champion. However, Storm left Impact Wrestling and made two appearances on NXT-TV in the fall of 2015. In his surprise debut on the program, Storm's theme song was "Game Up", which was made by It's a Date Inc.
Brian G. James (aka Road Dogg) was working for WWE at the time and later explained the reason for the theme song change. In an episode of "Table for 3," Dogg stated, "James passed on [the theme song]." While the CFO$-produced theme apparently wasn't to Storm's liking, Styles loved it when he heard it, feeling that it suited him well.
As for Storm, it's possible that he may make a return to WWE/NXT in the future, especially now that Triple H is once again Executive VP of Talent Relations. In a 2018 interview with "Inside The Ropes," Storm explained why he left NXT, stating that he had "a lot of stuff" in his personal life to take care of, and Triple H told Storm to sign a new deal with Impact Wrestling, take care of what needed to be taken care of, and then they would see if something could be worked out in two years between him and WWE/NXT.
Fast forward to 2020, and according to Storm in an interview with Pro Wrestling Sheet, he was supposed to debut after WrestleMania 36 on "RAW", but the COVID-19 pandemic led to that plan being put on hold. Currently, Storm is wrestling for OVW, where he has been OVW National Heavyweight Champion since July.