AJ Styles: Facing Cody Rhodes for first time is 'pretty awesome'

AJ Styles is looking forward to going one-on-one with Cody Rhodes for the first time ever.

At Backlash in France this Saturday, two former Bullet Club members will face off as Styles challenges Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. It's the first title defense Rhodes has made since dethroning Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

Styles spoke with CBS Sports in advance of Backlash. He responded when asked how exciting and fresh this matchup with Rhodes is for him:

Well, it's definitely new. That's always good, especially when you've been doing it for 25 years, that likely doesn't happen. But the fact that, you know, we've been in the same place. When I got to WWE, Cody was there. He left and now he's back. Just never had that opportunity to get in the ring with each other. It's pretty awesome. He's such a star right now, it's ridiculous. So it's fun to be in the same ring with him, doing it for the first time, in a different country -- it ranks pretty high up there.

Styles became the number one contender to the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship by defeating LA Knight on SmackDown two weeks ago.

A face-to-face segment with Rhodes and Styles will take place on SmackDown this Friday night.

Backlash then streams live on Peacock/WWE Network starting at 1 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday. The show is being held at LDLC Arena in Lyon.