AJ Styles is set to risk his wrestling career against Gunter at the WWE Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 31st. While he has announced plans to retire within the year, he has yet to specify an exact retirement date.
His WWE contract ends immediately after the Royal Rumble, fueling speculation that this event could mark the conclusion of his WWE tenure. Despite this, Styles’ promo on Monday night’s WWE RAW has led many to believe he might continue wrestling beyond this point.
At the start of RAW, Styles addressed his upcoming match with Gunter before being interrupted by CM Punk, which led to their World Heavyweight Championship match later that evening. However, a particular statement Styles made beforehand sparked rumors that he may not be finished with his in-ring career just yet. The 48-year-old said, “Gunther claims he intends to end my WWE career at the Royal Rumble.”
This comment could simply be Styles placing the responsibility of his career ending on WWE, but some doubt remain. Prior to his match being arranged with Gunter, reports circulated suggesting that industry insiders expect Styles to wrestle for TNA one more time.
John Alba of Sports Illustrated has long predicted that Styles will remain active in wrestling after leaving WWE. Responding to Styles’ announcement, Alba shared, “I have been saying on Patreon for over a year that I believe AJ will be active outside of WWE after his departure, even if only for a short time.”
Should Styles continue wrestling post-Rumble and exit WWE, the prevailing assumption points to a move to AEW. He has friends there, like The Young Bucks, and previously engaged in contract negotiations with AEW’s Tony Khan before choosing to extend his WWE contract.
Following his retirement announcement last year, many fans expressed hopes for Styles to sign with AEW, though he dismissed suggestions that he opted for WWE’s payout over joining their rival. In October, Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported it was “very unlikely” that Styles would jump to AEW, noting that Styles was content with his current routine and never planned a surprise departure as a final stint.
Styles has been a WWE fixture since 2016, debuting at the Royal Rumble and growing into one of the company’s biggest stars. Throughout his career, he has won the WWE World Championship twice and earned the distinction of a Triple Crown Champion.
Fan Take:
This announcement is significant for WWE fans as it may signal the end of an era with one of the company’s top stars possibly stepping away or changing promotions. If Styles does join AEW or continue beyond WWE, it could reshape the wrestling landscape and offer fresh matchups that excite fans across both brands.
