AEW President Tony Khan recently shared his views on AJ Styles following the wrestler’s retirement at WWE’s Royal Rumble 2026. AJ Styles ended his in-ring career after being defeated by Gunther with a rear naked choke during the event. While WWE’s Triple H and Peter Rosenberg confirmed Styles had concluded his tenure in WWE after this match, rumors have circulated since January 31st about the possibility of him wrestling elsewhere, especially since Styles did not leave his gloves in the ring—a traditional sign of retirement.
During an appearance on the YoJoshMartinez podcast, Khan praised Styles highly, calling him “one of the greatest people of all time.” He highlighted Styles’ impressive global career, mentioning his standout performances in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Khan recalled some of his favorite matches involving Styles, including one against Minoru Suzuki and his time with the Bullet Club faction, emphasizing that Styles has thrived in numerous wrestling promotions worldwide. Without hesitation, Khan declared Styles as one of the all-time greats.
Currently, Khan has not commented on whether Styles might join AEW, and Styles remains listed on WWE’s active roster. Fans will be awaiting further updates about the future of AJ Styles’ career as new information emerges.
Fan Take: This development is intriguing for AEW fans because AJ Styles is a proven top-tier talent whose arrival could significantly boost AEW’s roster strength. His potential move could also spark greater competition in the wrestling world, pushing the sport to new heights across all promotions.
