CM Punk was the Best in the World. Not Anymore.

In 2002, a young man named AJ Styles walked out of a potential WWE deal and went to the newly created NWA-TNA promotion in the south. Spearheading the X-Division with names like Low-Ki, Jerry Lynn and many others, Styles quickly became a fan favorite in the mid-2000s. His matches with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels stole the show at many PPVs, and his career skyrocketed when the brains behind the promotion began to center him as their world champion.

As he moved through the ranks and became a homegrown superstar, Styles was on top of the world in the late 2000s...when he decided to leave the company in 2013. As he moved to New Japan and the Indies, Styles was again launched into the stratosphere with his affiliation with the famous Bullet Club faction.

When he joined WWE in 2016, many were now satisfied for the man who eluded the top company for years. He entered in the Royal Rumble match a polished gem, putting on great matches with Chris Jericho heading into Wrestlemania season before challenging Roman Reigns twice for the WWE Title. Heading into a great rivalry with John Cena during that summer, Styles really began to shine, even winning the WWE Title from Dean Ambrose the same year he debuted.

Heading into 2017, Styles was red hot in his match against Cena at this year's Royal Rumble before a great match against Shane McMahon at Wrestlemania 33. Winning the US Title twice during the summer, Styles is poised for another run with WWE's top championship. Essentially, this background of Styles leads into 4 Reasons why he is the Best Wrestler in the World right now, from his mic skills to his ever-impressive in-ring skills.

1. HE CAN WRESTLE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW (aka His popularity is based on his skills in-ring, not his character).

First and foremost, AJ Styles is called the "Phenomenal One", and that's not just for glitz and glamor. His hybrid offense of aerial and ground attacks is considered one of the best arsenals in the business right now. He can go toe to toe, landing punches at one point, and then do a Pele kick a second later. To make things even more 'Phenomenal' (pun intended), Styles can land splashes and flying forearms like my Uncle Steve hosting a perfect Thanksgiving party: perfect and memorable.

Styles garnered a lot of buzz when he first broke onto the scene, and his integrity to perform these breathtaking moves at age 40 is what really grabs people. In essence, 40 is the new 25! Although some believe his character is what gets him 'over' (liked by fans), it's his in-ring ability that makes people turn on their televisions, buy tickets and cheer him on. He doesn't need to grab a mic to do so.

2. He's faced a global cast of characters, win or lose.

Styles began his career facing newcomers like Low Ki and industry veterans like Jerry Lynn. As TNA/GFW grew into a formidable promotion, Styles faced the likes of Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels, you name it.

As he left that promotion, he faced great indie stars like Ricochet, Cedric Alexander, Adam Cole, and Shinsuke Nakamura. His career rejuvenation in 2014 started with joining Bullet Club, the famous faction based in ROH and New Japan.

From there, Styles again faced names like Nakamura in classic matches, including the Wrestle Kingdom 10 match against Nakamura that cemented Styles as a fantastic wrestler with no end in sight.

When Styles arrived in WWE early 2016, fans immediately called for dream matches to finally happen. His first opponent: Chris Jericho, the GOAT of WWE. Their rubber match at Fastlane 2016 was great, but their clash at Wrestlemania 32 was...well, PHENOMENAL. Styles was then thrust into a great rivalry with new WWE Champion Roman Reigns that spring, facing the 'Big Dog' twice but falling short both times.

However, fans were gifted with the inevitable: Styles vs Cena. John Cena's legacy as the face of WWE for the last decade or so was put to the test as Styles turned heel that summer and linked up with old Bullet Club brethren Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson to "Beat up John Cena". Styles won the first match, Cena won the second, and their rubber match at Summerslam saw Styles beat John Cena 1,2,3 in the middle of that ring in Brooklyn, New York.

However, Cena returned this past winter with a vengeance, challenging Styles at the Royal Rumble for Styles' WWE Championship. That bout was absolutely brilliant, showing that Styles could lose but still be a fantastic wrestler.

(Youtube: WWE)

3. He's a selling machine.

Yes, those last two matches I've mentioned saw Styles lose. However, that goes to show how much of a 'seller' he is. To 'sell' in wrestling means to make the other wrestler's moves look real and impacting during the match. Styles, in all essence, is a great seller. Jokingly, someone once said to me that Styles could sell to "a rag doll". I then replied that Styles could sell to a lawn chair and it would make the chair look like a dangerous weapon.

Selling in wrestling is always up for debate. You have to be a great seller in order to be taken seriously by fans. If it looks planned or ill-executed, fans are usually jeering that wrestler's ability. Styles, occasionally, has done that. However, they're not all perfect.

He can take a great DDT from Dean Ambrose and make it look like a knockout shot, and his ability to go limp after failing a top-rope move makes me wonder if he's dead sometimes. His ability to sell not only makes fans believe the other wrestler, but also makes them respect Styles even more.

4. His dedication to each match, regardless of who he faces.

I think AJ Styles' best overall skill is his dedication to each performance. Whether he's facing a 'jobber' (term for less-valued wrestler who always loses) or in the main event against John Cena, Styles is dedicated to performing to the utmost degree and giving the fans more for their buck.

(Youtube: WWE)

The match above is the pinnacle of that dedication. Facing Chad Gable for a spot in the Independence Day Battle Royal later that night this past July 4th, Styles made Gable a made man. The mat wrestling ability of Gable mixed tremedously with Styles' hybrid offense in a match that almost saw Gable achieve victory. However, Styles managed to get the win before shaking hands with the young Gable as a sign of sportsmanship.

Opposite of sportsmanship, we see Styles perform as a major heel in this assault on GM Shane McMahon:

(Youtube: WWE)

Right here is Styles' other side of dedication: fueling a future match that will increase the realistic sense of the feud between him and Shane McMahon. Their match at Wrestlemania 33 turned out to be fantastic, even if it was the opening match. Regardless, a backstage assault like this headlines Styles' ability to be a dedicated performer either in-ring or backstage.

And that, right there, is PHENOMENAL.

Which is why AJ Styles is truly the Best in the World at the moment, and no one can top him.