AJ Styles, Kevin Owens Changing Perceptions of What Makes a WWE Star

Indy darlings are not supposed to be stars in Vince McMahon's WWE.

They were not good enough to compete under the brightest lights, on the biggest stages, nor were they supposed to be faces of a product with its own streaming network. They either lacked size, a marketable look or had an inability to transition from the spot-heavy style of the independent scene to the story-based WWE style.

Yet, three-quarters of the way through 2016, the most buzzed-about Superstars on the roster are those men and women who started their careers in the rings of TNA Wrestling or Ring of Honor. From the rapid ascension of AJ Styles to the unexpected journey to championship glory of Kevin Owens, the year has presented fans with a look at Superstars unlike any they have ever seen inside a McMahon-owned ring.

Why the sudden change in philosophies, and how have Styles, Owens, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Sami Zayn and so many other former indy stars made the impression on the WWE product the way they have?

Exhausting the Options

The mid-to-late 2000s featured the rise of Superstars like John Cena, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, but it also exhausted iconic figures like Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and Rey Mysterio, leaving a decided lack of star power available to management.

That changed in 2012 with the arrival of The Shield, a trio of developmental talent who made names for themselves in different walks of professional wrestling. Rollins was the former ROH champion, a wrestler clearly inspired by Styles. Ambrose was the former death-match competitor who broke as many light bulbs as he won championships.

Roman Reigns was the WWE product, a good-looking former football player destined for greatness based on his pedigree alone.

Rollins and Ambrose connected with fans through the intensity they brought to their performances and the credibility they had from their days working around the world. They garnered a fanbase and earned the respect of the ravenous, hardcore wrestling audience who watched enthusiastically all of their previous exploits.

They had the opportunity to make the impact they did because of the lack of other bona fide main event talent. Too many other attempts at homegrown talent failed, creating a necessity for the creation of new stars from other areas. 

Fan Demand

The wrestling fans of the 2000s are not as willing to sit back and accept whatever WWE throws at them. They are smart, opinionated and aware of what they want. In 2016, what they want is to see the independent stars, whom they had watched and heard so much about, receive opportunities to become huge stars in McMahon's company.

They are aware of the many classic battles Styles and Owens had in other companies thanks to DVD sales and video streaming. They know about Rollins' exploits around the country and Samoa Joe's incredible legacy in ROH.

Having watched those stars steal shows and deliver classics, they are aware of their immense talent and want to see them succeed on the grandest stage imaginable.

The wrestling world witnessed the "Yes!" Movement and how it affected Daniel Bryan's WWE career. Long considered the best wrestler on the planet, Bryan put the work in, and after fans demanded it, he finally received the nod from management in the form of WrestleMania XXX, a show in which he was the centerpiece and the last man standing.

Since then, the audience has found its voice and realizes it can have a real effect on the direction the company takes, the stars it pushes and the New Era of WWE as a whole.

The result? Pushes for the likes of Owens, Styles, Rollins, Ambrose, Zayn and every other indy star who never would have had a chance at true success in the past.

In-Ring Quality

There comes a time when a man or woman's talent can no longer be denied. WWE Creative and management can continuously shove Superstars down the throats of their fans, but at some point, to paraphrase the legendary "Macho Man" Randy Savage, the cream of the crop makes itself known.

For as great as Cena has been, and as underrated as Reigns has been, fans recognize greatness.

Styles has spent three years as arguably the best wrestler on the planet. His ability to work a style and deliver a show-stealing performance against any opponent has been a large part of his success in WWE to this point.

He exploded onto the scene last January and proceeded to have great matches with The Miz, understated near-classics with Chris Jericho and chaotic main event-style brawls with Reigns. His adaptability earns him rave reviews and mad respect from an audience that appreciates how he leaves everything in the ring—regardless of whether it is a televised match or a live-event house show.

The same can be said for Owens, who developed into WWE's workhorse over the last year. Whether working Raw and SmackDown, a pay-per-view or house show, the new WWE Universal champion has carried the promotion on his back from an in-ring perspective, ensuring every show has at least one outstanding bout.

Ditto Zayn, Neville, Rollins, Ambrose and company, all of whom have helped make up for a creatively bankrupt product with one of the best wrestling products WWE has ever produced.

Their ability to challenge the preconceptions of McMahon and change them has altered professional wrestling as we know it. The days of bodies dictating pushes are a thing of the past—relics of an era that is long gone.

Now promoting a New Era, a term he coined to help explain his shift in ideology, McMahon has gone all-in on the former indy stars who now are succeeding at heights in WWE few ever expected of them. Now, it is up to those performers to show why they deserve their positions on the card.