False Finish reported that AJ Styles could take on new duties in NXT once Shawn Michaels is promoted to a higher creative role in WWE.
That followed a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider on Thursday that Michaels is in line to replace Bruce Prichard as Executive Director of Creative Writing & Talent. The move is slated for after WrestleMania 43 in 2027, when Prichard wants to step away from his day-to-day role and stay on as a consultant.
Michaels has been in charge of NXT since September 2021. According to Johnson, WWE has been working on the succession plan for some time, and Michaels will start preparing for the new role over the next few months.
Styles has been involved in producing matches and in training at the Performance Center.
In August, Styles said he was filling in for Terry Taylor as a coach while Taylor recovered from knee surgery.
Styles himself has talked about potentially running a WWE show. On the Phenomenally Retro Podcast in May, he said he initially didn’t want to work as a producer but changed his mind after hearing that Michaels started out the same way.
Separately, WrestleVotes Radio reported on Thursday that Styles and Michaels were involved in creative discussions for the John Cena Classic. WWE reportedly held several meetings about how to present the tournament, which is scheduled for December, and reached out to people who are not usually part of projects like this.