John Cena was originally against the idea of WWE signing AJ Styles, according to Arn Anderson.
The Phenomenal One, 43, has been one of the company’s biggest stars since debuting at the 2016 Royal Rumble.
He has had two world title reigns, held Intercontinental and United States Championship gold and main-evented WrestleMania 36 with The Undertaker.
Styles also put on classics with Cena in the early stages of his WWE career.
However, while Styles was starring for TNA, the Cenation Leader did not think WWE and Vince McMahon needed him.
Former WWE producer Anderson, who left the company last year and now works for rival promotion AEW, told the ARN podcast: “No, I wasn’t surprised [they signed AJ].
“I was pleasantly surprised and I pushed for AJ. It was at a point when TNA was doing well.
“I would watch there, sitting with Cena one afternoon, and I said, ‘It would really beef up the company if we went out and stole Bobby Roode, AJ Styles and James Storm. If you brought those three guys in it would give you a whole plethora of new opponents, it would give a lot of guys new opponents.’
“John looked at me and said, ‘we’ve got NXT, we make our own stars’.
“I’m sure he was just transferring Vince’s psychology to me when he said that, but I knew at that time what those guys could do in a match for John.
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“If you just gave them six to nine months to come in and get over – these guys had their experience, they were ready.
“You could bring them on day one and you have a player. They were all on my radar for a while before they ever made it.”