WWE world champion AJ Styles has been on a whirlwind ride over the last 10 months. Since making his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble in January, hes had memorable showdowns with Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, John Cena and Dean Ambrose?--?to say nothing of James Ellsworth.The most shocking element is how quickly hes accumulated a massive following in the WWE, after decades in the wrestling industry working for every other major company in the world, and risen to the top of the ranks in the company.With Tuesdays release of WWE 2K17, ESPNs Tim Fiorvanti had?the chance to talk with the face that runs the place on SmackDown Live about his love of all things video games, his incredible run over the last year, dream opponents and much, much more.ESPN: AJ, its pretty well documented that youre a big gamer. I saw a video from about 10 years ago where you had a PlayStation 2, an Xbox, a GameCube and a SEGA Dreamcast with a video screen attached, among a great many other things in your game room at home. Whats the setup like these days?AJ Styles: If were talking about my setup now we could talk about all the retro games that I have, like my collection of hand-held systems that most people have forgotten about, but I also still have systems that can play the old games like a RetroN 5 and other craziness. I also have my arcade machines, and then we can move on to the PS4, and the Xbox One, but I like to play my Xbox 360 as well. So I have pretty much everything, man -- I have an addiction, and I admit that.ESPN: When youre on the road, how much of that do you end up taking with you? Is it more about the consoles or the handhelds when youre done wrestling for the night?AJ: Well I actually take my Xbox 360 on the road. I still enjoy playing my 360 because the last game that they made for college football was 2014, so I have it just so I can play that game. There are also some games [for that system] that I never really got into, but now I really enjoy them, like this game called Bullet Storm. I didnt realize how fantastic this game was at the time, but Im rocking it right now and its awesome. Its to a point where a lot the guys will go, What game is that dude? Im like, Dude its actually kind of old. So yeah I still like rocking the 360.ESPN: You have three kids -- are they as enthusiastic as you are when it comes to video games? Have you instilled that in them?AJ: Theyre not as well rounded as I am. My oldest son likes Madden. Thats the one he wants to play, or baseball on the PS4. My second-oldest son, he cant wait for me to get home and take him WWE 2K17. My third son, hes on the Wii U, enjoys Mario Maker and whatnot. So theyre all involved, but theyre all in different age groups.ESPN: Lets talk about WWE 2K17 for a little bit. I think its pretty cool, at least for somebody whos followed your career, that in 2016 in a WWE video game you can have AJ Styles face Samoa Joe. What is that like for you, considering all the different places both of your careers have been?AJ: Its pretty neat. I remember Joe telling me when he signed with WWE, and how cool I thought it was that my buddy is going to come in and make a difference, and I knew he would. Then he makes it in time to be in the game this year, which was unbelievable. I dont know how many people made me in 2K16, but Ive seen a lot of different AJ Styles, and the fact that they dont have to do it this year Im sure is a relief to them. Its just really neat being a part of it all, man.ESPN: In terms of some of the guys who you faced prior to signing with WWE, like a Joe, like a Nakamura, how much are you looking forward to the opportunity to showcasing those kinds of matches for a WWE audience in the future?AJ: Absolutely, I am. I mean, the chemistry I have with both those guys, and other guys that are coming up through NXT or a part of NXT, its kind of one of those things where you cant rush it. But all this stuff is gonna eventually happen. We just have to be patient.ESPN: As the WWE World Champion, you are playing a pretty massive role in whats going on in Smackdown Live right now, where everythings been very well received. For you in particular, we have as our No. 1 in our Power Rankings and were certainly not alone. What is it like to have your work recognized and your level of performance recognized to the degree it has since you joined WWE?AJ: Its huge. Thats what you work for, is to be recognized. Its nice to know that the hard work that youve put in all these years is finally getting the, I dont want to say praise, but you know. I busted my tail for so long, Im just glad its getting recognized now as part of the WWE. Because lets face it, the WWE is the biggest company out there when it comes to wrestling. Im just happy that Im being recognized as somebody who works hard, I guess.ESPN: Ten or 15 years ago, maybe even further back, when you thought about having a career in the WWE, is this sort of what you imagined? How does it compare in terms of what your dreams were and how its actually playing out?AJ: I dont think you really can compare this to anything. Who would have thought that Hey man, by the way, as soon as you get to the WWE, youre gonna get a rocket attached to you. Its gonna be unbelievable. The Royal Rumble being as crazy a night as it was for me, and then within nine months Im the world champion. Thats huge. I dont think anyone expected that, including myself. Time has everything to do with that. I dont think that would have happened years ago. The WWE has changed so much since then as well. Who knows -- if there had been no Daniel Bryan, would there have been no AJ Styles here in WWE? So theres a lot of factors that come into play when talking about the past and where I would see myself in this situation years ago.ESPN: Im curious, do you feel like theres a match or a series of matches that really helped you raise your game, raise your profile, and really put you over the top in terms of actually coming to the WWE?AJ: I dont know. I dont know that they go out and look at other matches and go Thats a guy we need in the WWE. I dont know how that process happens. I think there are definitely guys I worked with before that now work here in the WWE, and they might go This guys great, lets give him a shot.ESPN: What about from your side? Is there something you feel like you picked up while you were in Japan thats really kind of been key to your success that youve had here in the WWE?AJ: I think that I made a lot of noise in my career, and with my work ethic when I was in Japan. I think a lot of people were noticing what was going on. Especially with Tanahashi and Nakamura, having so many amazing matches with those guys. Whos to say? Do I think Vince McMahon was looking at my matches in Japan going We need him? No. He wasnt, hes too busy. Theres no way. But somebody may have been looking and going all right, I like this guy. Lets give him a shot.ESPN: For people who havent watched New Japan or dont really know what its like, what was your experience like being able to main event a Wrestle Kingdom show in front of a Tokyo Dome crowd?AJ: I was also a fan of Japanese wrestling [before I went there]. I watched a lot of VHS tapes from Japan, and to be able to wrestle in the Tokyo Dome at one of the biggest shows of the year was really cool for me. It was my Wrestlemania moment before I had a Wrestlemania moment. And to be able to say that I did a WrestleKingdom and a Wrestlemania in the same year, I dont think theres too many people that can say theyve done that. And I love that. I love being one of those guys that can say that I was on two of the biggest shows of the year.ESPN: Given the chance, whether you have three or five or 10 Wrestlemanias ahead of you, is there a list you have, like a must-face guy or a dream opponent that you would like to face at some point?AJ: I always say when it comes to dream matches that is not up to me, thats up to the WWE Universe. Thats up to the fans. But there is a guy on SmackDown that I have yet to wrestle yet thats certainly gonna happen at some point, and thats Randy Orton.ESPN: My very last question, Ill swing back to WWE 2K17. If you have to choose one of your greatest opponents to face in the game ...AJ: Sting.ESPN: Okay, Ill make it harder -- one of your great opponents who has never been in a WWE video game to be in a future edition of WWE 2K, in an AJ Styles story mode or just to be able to use them in the game.AJ: Oh man. Thats never been in the WWE. Wow, thats tough, man. That may be the most difficult question Ive ever had. I mean think about that, who would you love to see in there that hasnt been there at least in one of the games, because theyve had so many legends in there before. Phew.How about Jushin Thunder Liger. When you think about all the maneuvers and stuff that hes come up with and what hes done in the ring, thats a pretty big gap to fill. So thatd be pretty cool. Jacoby Ellsbury Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. 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Subscribe today!?And for more from the 2016 Body Issue, check out espn.com/bodyissue,?and pick up a copy on newsstands starting July 8.If you watched HBOs Hard Knocks last year -- or, really, if youve watched any football at all the past 12 seasons -- youre probably familiar with veteran tackle Vince Wilfork, as well as his wife, Bianca, whos never far from his side. The two-time Super Bowl champ sat down with the Body Issues Morty Ain -- and Bianca -- to talk about body image, runner calves and schooling Randy Moss on routes.Morty Ain: Why did you decide to pose for the Body Issue?Vince Wilfork: I just think its a good idea for people that are bigger-boned. If people can look at me, a guy thats 325-plus, doing an issue like this, Im pretty sure that they might have a little confidence. There will be critics, just like with everything else. I think a lot of people will get a laugh out of it, Ill tell you that. Im looking forward to what the locker rooms going to say. But at the end of the day, Im perfectly fine with who I am as a person and what I have accomplished. It shows a lot of my personality.MA: So what do you hope that these photos show about your body?VW: A lot of people look at me as a big person. Some people consider me to be obese. Some people consider me fat and sloppy. But I think this shoot will give people a different look at what I am. Everybody knows that I have a big stomach, but I think sometimes that overshadows everything else on my body -- from my calves to my back to my shoulders to my biceps, you name it. What people go to the gym and work for, I have. The only thing I dont have that they got is six-packs. But I really dont care about six-packs.Bianca Wilfork: And lets not forget that in the football world, youre considered old as well. Old and maybe washed-up by some standards.VW: Yep. The one thing about me is, I dont care what people think. It all starts with yourself. I believe in myself. I love myself. So its kind of like, they can shove it up their you-know-whats.MA: How is the Vince on the football field different from the Vince off it?VW: A lot of people tell me that off the field Im more of a loving person.BW: A gentle giant.VW: I love to have fun. I do my own shopping. I do my own yardwork. I like to garden. I like to fish. I like to golf. Im an outdoorsman. I like to cook. But when I hit the stadium, I click the switch, because I know Im there for a job. I get in a whole different mindset when I enter the stadium. But once I leave Im back to being a father, husband, a friend.MA: Whats it like to be someone your size in everyday life?VW: People who dont know me, when they see me they kind of step back and just stare at me and say, Dang, hes a big dude.BW: Good thing you are an athlete, because if not, then they would just be looking at you for your size [laughs].VW: True fans and guys who follow the sport, they know who I am. But sometimes I do get those people that look at me and kind of stop and just stare at me, which I hate.BW: And then theyll say, Do you play ball? and hell tell them no, hes a gynecologist.VW: Yes, thats what I do.BW: I think one of the worst is when people come up to you and they say, Man, youre bigger in person. Like, is that supposed to be a compliment? Were like, what, am I supposed to say thank you? What the hell?MA: Bianca, you mentioned that you never see guys Vinces size in the commercials for Under Armour or anything like that. How do you feel about that?BW: It pisses me off because I know that theres not a lot of marketing advantages for him when it comes to certain outlets. You dont see Vince Wilfork-sized guys on the Nike commercials or Under Armour. But yet you have somebody thats going on 13 years in the league, four times to the Super Bowl, a great guy on and off the field. You couldnt ask for a better fit ... hes just got a big tummy. I feel like its almost discriminatory.VW: I dont give a s--- about that. In general, when youre marketing stuff, you want to have a certain look. But I always thought it would be awesome if you had more offensive and defensive linemen with Nike brands or whatever brand it may be. You cant play football without offensive and defensive linemen. But everything you see is always geared toward skilled positions. Its unfair for big guys, because its harder for us to get noticed because we do the dirty work. We dont catch the touchdowns. We dont throw the passes. But at the end of the day, any football coach or any football player will tell you everytthing starts up front.dddddddddddd If you dont have guys up there doing what they have to do, nothing will work.MA: Is your size a product of the job? How much of it is natural?VW: Some of it is born a certain way, and some of it is because of what I play. At the end of football, do I want to be this big? No. I dont need to be that big anymore. But for what I do, Ive been this way for 13 years and it never stopped me from playing the game at a certain level. It never stopped me from being a Pro Bowler. It never stopped me from being in Super Bowls. I missed one season, and basically I had major one injury in my career in 12 seasons. As a nose tackle or as a D-lineman, thats kind of unheard of. So people can sit and say Im too big or obese or whatever; well, look at the facts. Look at my career and look at my history. You see the durability and the level I played at.MA: So youre naturally this size?VW: Im naturally a big dude, yes. I was 308 in high school. And Ive been between 308 all the way to 350. I can only imagine when I finish football and I get the weight off, Ill probably feel things different. But for 20 years Ive been this size; basically its the only thing I know.MA: Is there a particular part of your body that youre most proud of?VW: I love my calves. In high school someone told me, You got runner legs. And I say, what the hell does that mean? Hes like, well, your calves; you dont have fat-people calves [laughs]. So to this day, Ill be talking about myself in the meeting room and Ill say, Man, look at that dudes calves. And everybody laughs at me, but I have some good-looking calves.MA: Youre actually incredibly fast. Whats the fastest youve ever run?VW: I clocked a 4.8 in the 40. At over 300 pounds. But, hell, I havent run a 40 for a long time [laughs]. Ever since the combine. I dont do that anymore. But all my life Ive played different sports. Basketball was another sport that I played a lot. I did the shot put. And in football, I was never a lineman when we played pickup games. I was always a quarterback or a receiver or a running back.MA: Is it true that you used to play one-on-one against Randy Moss in practice?VW: Oh, absolutely. Randy taught me how to be a great receiver. Hes a good friend of mine.MA: So you would guard him on routes?VW: No, I would always be the receiver and he would be a DB. I liked to run a jerk route. Oh, man, I would love it. To this day, any receiver that runs that route, I love it because its kind of unguardable. That was my go-to. We had a lot of fun.MA: So if we asked him, he would freely admit that you were taking him to school?VW: I know him like hes my own blood, and he would never admit that. I mean, he never admitted it when I did it, so you think he would admit it now? Heck no.MA: What is your favorite thing that you do to train?VW: Swimming is probably my main conditioning. It gives you a full-body workout. It builds endurance, builds your lungs strong, I mean you name it. And I like that the older you get, you try to find different ways to train besides just pounding and running every day.BW: We have property in Florida, and he made his own sandpit out there. And we have orange groves, so he would run between the orange groves. And then go on a tractor with full cowboy gear on and move hay around the property and stuff in the sun just to get a good sweat in.VW: Yes, Ive done that. In my career Ive done a lot of things. Ive tried to push a car. That did not last long, trust me. I was like, you know, with me its got to make sense in my head. And Im sitting there saying, Why the hell am I pushing a car? Like, Can I do something else?MA: What is something about your body that might surprise us?VW: I used to be able to dunk, but its been a long time. I havent even tried to attempt it ever since I tore my Achilles [in 2013]. The first time, I got a fast break and I said, Well, its me and the rim. Either I dunk it or Im a strike, one or the other. And I ended up dunking it. And that was seventh grade. The neighborhood kids went insane.MA: [Laughs]VW: I used to do flips at 300 pounds. And I actually thought about starting back doing it and getting to the point where I can do it again [laughs]. But I havent started that quest yet. I might start this year just to show the world what type of athlete I am.MA: Im curious to see what one of these flips looks like. Is it like a double handspring?VW: [Laughs] Im going to backflip it if I ever get to do it. Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys China Jerseys NFL China ' ' '