AJ Styles cannot wait to entertain the UAE crowds at next month’s WWE Live Dune Bash Tour in Dubai.
Styles has been added to the roster listed to be in action on both April 14 and 15 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, along with Dean Ambrose, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, the New Day and Sami Zayn, along with many others.
It will not be the 38 year old’s first visit to Dubai, and he is eager to return to the emirate.
“Yeah I have been there before,” the American said when answering a question from The National during a conference call with other media outlets. “It is a beautiful place. The hotels are amazing. There are so many great things about it and I can’t wait for the opportunity to get back there.
“It is literally worth the plane ride to go and see something so beautiful so I am very excited to be over there again.”
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Styles made his debut in the WWE, having garnered a reputation as one of the best workers in the business on the independent scene, at the Royal Rumble in January.
As to what the UAE public can expect from him next month, he added: “They don’t call me ‘phenomenal’ for nothing.
“I like to get in there, I have one gear, it is all or nothing with me, and I just want to have entertaining matches and give these people what they want, so if they want a bit of everything I can give them that.”
WrestleMania 32 is this Sunday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a crowd of more than 100,000 expected to attend.
Styles will take on Chris Jericho in a singles match at the event, and it will be his first WrestleMania as a competitor.
Of his desire to be involved in the biggest WWE event of the year, Styles said: “I think if you watch one WrestleMania, and see the build-up that goes into it, how could you not want to be a part of WrestleMania?
As to if he has a favourite WrestleMania moment, he added: “There have been so many unbelievable matches that have been part of it that it is hard to pick one, but I have the WWE Network, I have seen all the matches and seen the Mania moments and I am just happy that I get to have one this year.”
Styles and Jericho have already met three times in singles matches, with Styles 2-1 up in victories, while they briefly aligned as a tag team, before Jericho attacked Styles after they lost to the New Day in a WWE tag team titles match.
“The feud is getting attention, so we must be doing something right,” Styles said of the rivalry with Jericho.
“We have had three matches before this, one-on-one, and then we had the tag match, and they have been great matches, and so hopefully to have another and have it on the biggest stage of them all is very special and I can’t wait for the opportunity to get in front of all those people at WrestleMania and put on a match they won’t forget.”
Tickets for the WWE Live Dune Bash Tour went on sale in February.
They can be purchased online from www.platinumlist.net and from UAE Exchange branches. Regular ticket prices start at Dh350.
gcaygill@thenational.ae