2003-2012
On March 14, Styles returned to International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and successfully challenged IWC Super Indy Champion Super Hentai for the title. On April 13, Styles defended the title in a rematch against Hentai, but the match ended in a no contest, meaning Styles retained the title.
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AJ WITH THE IWC TITLE |
On May 10, Styles vacated the title. On August 23, Styles unsuccessfully challenged new Super Indy Champion Colt Cabana after the match ended at a twenty-minute time limit draw, meaning Cabana retained the title. On December 12 at IWC: Call to Arms, Styles would once again challenge Cabana for the title, but again was unsuccessful. On April 12, Styles debuted in Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), competing at the promotions 3rd Best of the Best event. Styles teamed with Jason Cross to face Jay Briscoe and Jimmy Rave, in a losing effort. On July 20, at CZW: Deja Vu II, Styles successfully defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Rave.
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AJ VS CABANA |
On September 12, Styles debuted in Maximum Pro Wrestling (MXPW), successfully challenging MXPW Television Champion Chris Sabin and Christopher Daniels in a three-way match for the title. On October 4, Styles debuted in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), unsuccessfully challenging PWG Champion Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels for the title.
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| CHRIS SABIN |
On November 7, Styles returned to IWA: Mid-South to take part in the promotions annual Ted Petty Invitational, which saw Styles defeating Todd Sexton is his first round match. The following night, he defeated Jerry Lynn in the quarter-finals, but later that night would be eliminated by Danny Daniels in the semi-finals.
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Todd Sexton |
On March 20, 2004, Styles returned to IWC, entering the promotions Super Indy Survivor Showdown tournament. Styles' first match in the tournament was in the semi-finals due to unknown reasons, in which he defeated CM Punk. Later that night, Styles faced IWC Super Indy Champion Colt Cabana in the final in a winning effort, capturing the title. On April 17, Styles successfully defended the title against Homicide, and on May 8 he did so again against Christopher Daniels.
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| AJ AND PUNK |
On September 17, Styles returned to IWA: Mid-South, entering the promotions 2004 Ted Petty Invitational. Styles defeated Jimmy Rave in his first round match. The following night, Styles defeated Matt Sydal in the quarter finals. Later that night, Styles defeated Arik Cannon in the semi-finals, as well as defeating Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe in the final to win the 2004 Ted Petty Invitational. On October 21, Styles won the vacant IWA: Mid-South Heavyweight Championship, defeating Chris Sabin, Christopher Daniels and Petey Williams in a four-way dance match. Two days later on October 23, Styles lost the title to CM Punk.
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| AJ AND DANIEL BRYAN |
On April 1, 2005, Styles returned to PWG, defeating Samoa Joe in a PWG Championship number one contender match at the promotion's All-Star Weekend – Day 1. The following night on Day 2 of All-Star Weekend, Styles successfully challenged Super Dragon for the title. Styles defended the title until August 6 at Zombies Shouldn't Run, where he lost it to Kevin Steen. On September 3, Styles entered the 2005 Battle of Los Angeles tournament, but was defeated in the finals by Chris Bosh.
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| AJ AND KEVIN |
Return to ROH (2014–2016)
Styles defeated Roderick Strong in his return match on the January 4, 2014 taping of Ring of Honor Wrestling, and picked up victories over Jay Lethal at the 12th Anniversary Show and Chris Hero at the Flyin' High event. At All Star Extravaganza VII, he became the number one contender for the ROH World Championship by winning a four-way match involving Adam Cole, Michael Elgin and Roderick Strong, but he unsuccessfully challenged champion Jay Lethal at Final Battle.
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| FINAL BATTLE |
Styles made his final independent appearance before he began working for WWE at ROH's TV tapings in Duluth, Georgia on January 23, 2016. At the tapings, Styles was interrupted by Jay Lethal and The House of Truth, followed by Roderick Strong. An ensuing brawl saw Styles' former Bullet Club stablemates Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and The Young Bucks (who had fired Styles from the stable just over two weeks prior) assist him against various members of the ROH roster. At the end of the show, Styles proceeded to join Bullet Club in a group hug, mirroring the famous 1996 WWF Madison Square Garden "Curtain Call".
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| BULLET CLUB |
Second return to the independent circuit (2014–2016)
Following his departure from TNA, Styles would begin taking independent bookings for the first time in two years, accepting as many dates as possible and more regularly. During his second run on the independent circuit, he competed in various countries around the world, most notably England.
On March 1, 2014, Styles made an appearance for English promotion Preston City Wrestling, losing to British wrestler Lionheart in the main event. Following the match, Styles gave Lionheart the Styles Clash, during which Lionheart improperly tucked his chin, resulting in him landing on top of his head and legitimately breaking his neck.
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| NECK BREAKING STYLES CLASH |
On February 8, Styles returned to Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) after eleven years, defeating CZW World Heavyweight Champion Drew Gulak via disqualification, which meant that Gulak retained the title. In August, Styles also returned to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) after eleven years, taking part in the promotion's annual 10th Battle of Los Angeles tournament, where on August 29 he defeated Brian Myers to make it to the quarterfinals before losing to Roderick Strong via disqualification on August 31.
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| AJ VS DREW GULAK |
On March 11, 2015, Styles defeated John Hennigan to win the FWE Heavyweight Championship in a best of three falls match two falls to one; Hennigan won the first fall after hitting the Starship Pain (a split-legged corkscrew moonsault), but Styles made Hennigan tap out to the Calf Killer shortly thereafter to score fall number two, and in the end Styles pinned Hennigan following a Styles Clash to win the title.
On June 14, Styles won the Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) British Heavyweight Championship, defeating Marty Scurll at Summer Sizzler for the title.
In September, Styles made his debut for Chikara, when he teamed with fellow Bullet Club members The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) in the 2015 King of Trios. They made it to the semi-finals of the three-day-long tournament, defeating Team Fight Club (Trent Seven, Tyler Bate and Dan Moloney), but were ultimately defeated in the finals by Team AAA (Aero Star, Drago and Fénix).
On January 14, 2016, Styles wrestled a match for 5 Star Wrestling in Sheffield, England, where he faced Rey Mysterio for the first time. Styles pinned Mysterio with the Styles Clash.
On January 16, Styles returned to Revolution Pro Wrestling in London, England, losing the RPW British Heavyweight Championship to Zack Sabre Jr. Following the match, Styles cut a promo addressing his future and teased entering the Royal Rumble match. On February 5, Styles wrestled his final independent match (which he had pre-booked before signing with WWE), defeating Corey Hollis at Georgia Premier Wrestling.
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