Brooks Jensen’s relationship with AJ Styles did not begin under the bright lights of WWE television or through a formal introduction at the Performance Center. Instead, it grew out of an unlikely opportunity during the pandemic, when live wrestling events had largely stopped and a teenage Jensen was searching for a way to keep improving.
Jensen recently discussed the beginning of that friendship during an appearance on The A.J. Styles Show. Styles admitted that he could not fully remember the first time he met Jensen, though he was already familiar with Jensen’s father, former WWE performer Bull Buchanan. For Jensen, however, the memory is much clearer: a Georgia independent wrestling promoter contacted him with an invitation to travel to Cornelia and train with Styles.
That drive proved to be the start of a connection that has continued as Jensen has developed from a young prospect into a WWE Evolve talent.
A Pandemic Opportunity
Jensen explained that the circumstances of the pandemic created an unusual period for wrestlers at every level. With shows not running, opportunities to perform in front of crowds were limited. For a wrestler still at the beginning of his career, maintaining momentum and finding valuable ring time became especially important.
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During that stretch, Jensen had built a positive relationship with Todd Sexton, the promoter behind Southern Fried Wrestling in Georgia. Sexton eventually reached out with a straightforward question: Styles was looking for someone to train with, and Jensen was being offered the chance to make the trip.
“At the time, during the pandemic, there were no shows going on, and there was a promoter named Todd Sexton, he ran a show called Southern Fried Wrestling in Georgia. And me and him got along great,” Jensen said. “So, we had a good relationship, and then one day he just messaged me. He said, ‘Hey, AJ Styles needs somebody to train with. Would you want to drive up to Cornelia?’”
For Jensen, accepting the invitation was not quite as simple as deciding whether he wanted to train with one of the most accomplished wrestlers of his generation. Cornelia was approximately two and a half hours away from where he lived, and Jensen was only 18 or 19 years old at the time. He also did not have a car.
That meant arranging transportation before he could even begin thinking about the training itself. Jensen recalled asking one of his mother’s friends to help convince his mother to let him borrow a vehicle for the drive. The situation underscores the position Jensen was in at that stage of his life: eager for a major learning experience, but still confronting the ordinary practical limitations that come with being a young wrestler trying to establish himself.
“And Cornelia, Georgia, is like, say, about two and a half hours from me. And again, at the time, I’m 18, 19 years old. I didn’t have a car, so I was trying to figure out how to get up there,” Jensen said. “So, I asked my mom’s friend to convince her to let me borrow the car and drive two and a half hours up there. And yeah, ever since then, me and AJ’s always been good friends.”
More Than A Familiar Wrestling Connection
Styles’ awareness of Bull Buchanan meant there was already a wrestling-world connection in place before Jensen made that first trip. Buchanan had his own WWE career, and Jensen entered the industry with a family name that longtime fans would recognize. Yet Jensen’s story about Styles makes clear that their friendship was formed through time spent training together rather than merely through his father’s standing in the business.
That distinction matters for Jensen as he continues building his own identity in WWE. Family lineage can open conversations and create awareness, but it does not replace the work required to earn trust in a ring or to develop relationships with established performers. In this case, the opportunity came through Sexton, while the ongoing friendship came after Jensen was willing to make the journey and put in the work with Styles.
The pandemic was a disruptive era across professional wrestling, but it also created smaller training environments and one-on-one opportunities that may not have happened under a normal touring schedule. Styles needing a training partner and Jensen being available created a timely match. What began as a practical request evolved into a long-term bond.
Styles Sees A Major Future For Jensen
Jensen has been with WWE since 2021, spending several years on the NXT brand before moving to Evolve. His path has included the challenges that come with developing on WWE’s constantly changing developmental landscape, where performers are expected to adjust their presentation, character work, in-ring approach, and overall confidence as they move through different platforms.
Styles has expressed considerable confidence in Jensen’s potential. The WWE Hall of Famer recently said he believes Jensen will become one of the biggest stars to emerge from NXT. Styles also noted that an injury briefly slowed Jensen’s progress, while maintaining that Jensen remains headed toward the highest level.
That is substantial praise from a wrestler whose career has spanned major promotions and whose longevity at the top of WWE has made his opinion meaningful to younger talent. Styles has competed against and alongside performers from multiple generations. His belief in Jensen is therefore not simply the support of a friend; it is an endorsement informed by years spent evaluating what it takes to stand out in the industry.
Jensen’s current place in WWE Evolve gives him another setting in which to continue sharpening the qualities Styles clearly sees in him. Evolve provides a platform for talent seeking to gain experience, establish consistency, and create enough of an impression to earn larger opportunities within WWE’s system. For Jensen, that process carries added interest because of his NXT history and the encouragement he has received from Styles.
The Value Of Finding The Right Mentor
Professional wrestling has always relied on relationships formed in training rings, on long car rides, and in the quieter moments away from television. Jensen’s account is a reminder that some of the most significant connections in a wrestler’s career begin before the performer has reached a national stage.
There was no guarantee attached to that first training session in Cornelia. Jensen was not yet a WWE talent, and the industry was navigating an unprecedented pause in regular live events. He was simply a young wrestler who had been given a chance to work with AJ Styles and was determined to find a way to get there.
The details are modest but revealing. A promoter who trusted him made the introduction. A teenager without his own transportation figured out how to borrow a car. A two-and-a-half-hour drive led to training sessions with a future WWE Hall of Famer. From there, a friendship developed that has endured through Jensen’s arrival in WWE, his run in NXT, and his eventual move to Evolve.
Jensen still has much to accomplish, and Styles’ prediction that he is destined for the top remains a projection rather than a completed story. The injury Styles referenced also serves as a reminder that momentum in wrestling can change quickly. But Jensen has a notable advocate in his corner, along with a personal connection to Styles that predates his WWE tenure.
As Jensen continues his work in Evolve, the story of how he first linked up with Styles offers a useful snapshot of his determination. At 18 or 19 years old, with no car of his own and no shows taking place during the pandemic, he saw an opening to train with a world-class wrestler. He found a way to make the drive. Years later, that decision remains the foundation of one of the most important friendships in his career.
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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.