AJ Styles has reflected on the unusual circumstances that led to his widely remembered match against Finn Balor at WWE TLC 2017, revealing that the post-match Too Sweet gesture between the two former Bullet Club leaders was not planned in advance.
The match remains a singular moment from the October 2017 premium live event. Balor had originally been set to wrestle Bray Wyatt, but Wyatt was unable to compete because of a medical issue. WWE instead turned to Styles, who was on the road in South America at the time, to face Balor in a rapidly arranged replacement match.
The result was an 18-minute-plus meeting between two performers with extensive history before WWE, with Balor entering in his Demon persona and ultimately securing the victory. Following the bell, Styles and Balor shared the Too Sweet hand gesture, a visual acknowledgment of their respective connections to Bullet Club. The crowd response made the brief exchange an enduring part of the match’s legacy.
Speaking on WWE Retrospective, Styles described just how quickly the company’s plans changed and the complicated trip required to get him into the building for TLC.
“I was in South America wrestling, and Bray Wyatt had caught a bug and was not going to be able to wrestle. So they needed a quick fix,” Styles said. “Well, they said, ‘AJ, you’re now in the first match of the show. You are going to wrestle and go straight to the airport, get on a plane, fly to Miami. We will pick you up in the WWE jet, fly you to wherever we were, and then you’re going to wrestle Finn Balor that night.’ That’s how quick it happened.”
The sudden nature of the assignment was visible in Styles’ presentation as well. Rather than making his usual entrance in a ring jacket, Styles wore a hoodie, something he explained came down to the disarray created by his travel schedule.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ to the point where I’m not wearing my ring jacket. I am wearing a hoodie, because I don’t know where my ring jacket is,” Styles said. “Maybe it was still in Chile or whatever in South America, but I don’t know where it went to. So that’s why I’m dressed in this hoodie. So hopefully somebody bought it.”
A Match Fans Had Wanted to See
Although it was born out of an unexpected change, Styles versus Balor immediately carried an appeal beyond the usual replacement-match scenario. Both men had reached WWE after acclaimed careers outside the company, and both had held leadership roles in Bullet Club at different points. Their WWE paths had not offered fans many chances to see that shared history directly addressed in the ring.
Styles had arrived in WWE in 2016 and quickly became one of the promotion’s leading stars. Balor debuted on the main roster that same year and was established as a top attraction before an injury interrupted his momentum. By TLC 2017, their one-on-one match felt fresh, while their previous associations gave the audience an added layer to invest in.
Balor’s use of the Demon character added another dimension. The elaborate entrance, body paint, and distinct intensity of the persona had made Demon Balor a special-attraction presentation. Styles said that getting the chance to work that version of Balor made an already intriguing assignment even more exciting.
“Not only did we get this match while we were still hot in people’s mind that these two guys were in the Bullet Club, I got to wrestle The Demon,” Styles said. “It wasn’t just Finn Balor, it was The Demon. And it was cool. I was excited to be in the ring with him, I’m going to be honest. And I knew people would enjoy this moment of these two guys in the ring together.”
That perspective helps explain why the match landed so effectively despite its lack of a lengthy televised build. The audience did not need a conventional story arc to understand the significance of the pairing. Their shared past, their stature as internationally established wrestlers, and the novelty of Styles standing across the ring from the Demon gave the contest a major-match atmosphere from the outset.
For WWE, the decision also demonstrated the value of having performers capable of adapting quickly when an unplanned absence changes a card. Styles had to navigate international travel, a major show, and a new opponent without the kind of preparation usually afforded to a premium live event match. Yet the performance was presented as a major attraction rather than merely a contingency plan.
Styles Praises Balor’s Professionalism
Styles was emphatic in his praise of Balor when looking back on their work together. In an industry where chemistry between opponents can make a significant difference, Styles characterized Balor as the kind of wrestler who makes the job of putting together a compelling match far more manageable.
“Oh, he’s a freaking professional through and through, man,” Styles said. “There’s some guys that you just know like, ‘Oh, this is going to be a piece of cake.’ He’s one of them. And our job is to make it look hard, but the reality of when you work with him, you’re going to look good. Everything in the match is going to be the way it should.”
Styles’ comments speak to why the contest was able to succeed under exceptional circumstances. A match does not have to be publicly announced weeks ahead of time for the wrestlers to create a coherent and memorable performance, but it does require trust and shared instincts. Both Styles and Balor had built reputations through years of high-level matches across multiple environments before their WWE careers brought them together.
Styles continued by stressing the respect he has for Balor’s work ethic, saying that effort and consistency are qualities audiences recognize even when they may not see everything that goes into preparing for a match.
“I mean, I can’t say enough good things about him, man,” Styles said. “I enjoyed being in the ring with him, every time. When you see how hard some guys work, you just have so much respect for them. One of the many reasons why everybody loves Finn Balor, including myself. Nobody works harder.”
The mutual respect between the two was particularly important to the emotional finish. Balor won the match, but the post-match moment was not framed as a typical rivalry escalation. Instead, it served as a concise acknowledgment of a connection that predated their time together in WWE.
The Too Sweet Moment Was a Last-Second Call
Styles revealed that the Too Sweet gesture was his idea in the immediate aftermath of the match. He said he relayed the instruction through the referee, asking that Balor remain in the ring so the two could share the gesture before departing.
“I said, ‘Tell Finn.’ I told the ref right there, ‘Tell Finn, don’t get out of the ring and let’s do the Two Sweet,’” Styles said. “I’m pretty sure Vince was, ‘What are they doing?’ But the crowd, they gave the reaction that I wanted. Like, two guys who definitely have a bond, Too Sweet and each other, it was cool. It was a cool moment.”
The exchange was small in terms of time, but it resonated because it was direct and uncomplicated. Styles and Balor did not need to explain the reference in a lengthy promo. The audience understood the symbolism immediately, responding to the sight of two wrestlers whose paths had crossed within the Bullet Club legacy sharing a sign associated with that history.
It also underscored the difference between a scripted storyline beat and a moment driven by the instincts of the performers in the ring. Styles did not present the gesture as an established part of the plan. He saw an opportunity after the match, communicated it quickly, and trusted that the audience would respond. In his view, that reaction validated the decision.
WWE TLC 2017 is therefore remembered not only for an emergency replacement bout, but for how effectively Styles and Balor turned a difficult logistical situation into a match with lasting significance. Balor’s Demon presentation, Styles’ abrupt arrival from South America, the quality of the in-ring performance, and the unplanned Too Sweet salute combined to make the encounter feel larger than its short notice suggested.
Styles’ recollection offers a reminder that some of wrestling’s most durable moments emerge when experienced performers are asked to adjust quickly. In this case, the circumstances were chaotic, but the match provided fans with a rare meeting between Styles and Balor—and a closing image that honored the history they carried into the ring.
Quotes via WWE Retrospective.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.