AJ Styles officially announced his retirement today at the WWE Royal Rumble 2026 event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In a high-stakes match against Gunther, the stipulation was that Styles would retire if he lost—and Gunther emerged victorious, joining the ranks of legendary names like Goldberg and John Cena, who recently faced retirement matches against him. Unlike Cena, Styles never submitted but was rendered unconscious by Gunther’s sleeper hold. After the bout, Styles removed his gloves, initially intending to leave them in the ring, but ultimately wore them once more to proudly display the P1 logo before exiting.
Styles began his wrestling career in 1999 with NWA Wildside and had brief stints in WCW and WWE early on. He gained prominence in TNA, where he became one of the company’s top stars over more than a decade. He also competed in notable promotions like ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling before making his WWE debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble. Exactly ten years later, he fought his final WWE match at this year’s Royal Rumble event in 2026.
Throughout his WWE tenure, Styles achieved several championships, including two WWE World Titles, three United States Championships, one Intercontinental Championship, and two Tag Team Championships—once with Omos in 2021 and once with Dragon Lee in 2025. He had previously announced his intention to retire from in-ring competition in 2026, making this moment the closing chapter of an illustrious career.
Fan Take: AJ Styles’ retirement marks the end of an era for WWE, as one of the company’s most technically gifted and charismatic performers hangs up his boots. His departure not only leaves a gap in the roster but also signals a potential shift in WWE’s landscape, creating opportunities for new stars to rise and carry the sport forward.
