One of AJ Styles’ former teammates has responded to the wrestling star’s retirement at WWE Royal Rumble 2026. On January 31st, AJ Styles concluded his remarkable 27-year career after being defeated by WWE’s “career killer,” Gunther, who put him out of action with a rear-naked chokehold.
Karl Anderson, a close companion of Styles from their time in New Japan Pro Wrestling and WWE, appeared on Busted Open to express his reflections on AJ’s career end. He praised Styles for his profound impact on wrestling as both a performer and a person. Anderson stated:
“If this truly marks the end of AJ Styles’ career, after his final bout with Gunther at the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, then wrestling loses perhaps one of the best in-ring talents of our era. AJ Styles holds a special place on many fans’ Mount Rushmore; for those who didn’t grow up admiring Ric Flair, John Cena, or Roman Reigns, AJ was their hero in the early 2000s. If this chapter closes here, we will have lost not only one of the greatest wrestlers but also one of the finest individuals the wrestling world has ever known.”
Anderson, who worked closely with Styles as head of NJPW’s Bullet Club and later co-founded The OC with Styles and Luke Gallows in WWE, highlighted the deep respect he has for his former partner. While rumors have circulated about Styles potentially continuing his career outside WWE, commentators like Peter Rosenberg and Triple H have confirmed that Styles is resolute about retiring from in-ring competition.
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Fan Take: AJ Styles’ retirement marks the end of an era for WWE fans who have admired his outstanding talent and charisma for nearly three decades. His departure opens the door for new stars to rise but leaves a lasting legacy that will inspire future generations in the wrestling world.
