AJ Styles shares his initial retirement plan for WWE WrestleMania and explains why it fell through
In a recent video released on WWE’s YouTube channel, former WWE superstar AJ Styles disclosed that his initial plan was to retire at WrestleMania. Styles, a wrestling legend, expressed his desire to have his final match at the grand stage of WrestleMania, but circumstances led to a change of plans. The wrestler, known as The Phenomenal One, had suffered an injury that was expected to end his career. However, after making a full recovery and feeling like his old self again, Styles realized that returning for just two months to retire did not feel right. Instead, he decided to bid farewell at the pay-per-view event where he made his WWE debut.
Ultimately, Styles announced his retirement at the Royal Rumble event, where he faced Gunther in a hard-fought match in Saudi Arabia. Although Styles did not explicitly mention it, it appeared that WrestleMania 41 was the original target for his retirement match. The wrestler had wrestled for several months battling a Lisfranc injury in his foot, sustained during a match against Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown. Amid uncertainty about his WrestleMania status, Styles made a surprising return as a participant in the 2025 men’s Royal Rumble match, followed by a match against Logan Paul at WrestleMania 41, which unfortunately resulted in a loss.
Despite the loss, Styles continued to entertain fans with memorable matches against top superstars like John Cena and CM Punk over the next nine months. However, a defeat to Gunther on an episode of Raw prompted Styles to challenge him to a rematch at Royal Rumble, with the stipulation that his career would be on the line. In a dramatic turn of events, Styles succumbed to Gunther’s sleeper hold, leading to a technical submission that marked the end of his illustrious wrestling career.
While many expected Styles to retire at WrestleMania 42, his decision to retire at Royal Rumble held symbolic significance. Styles made his WWE debut as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match in 2016, marking the beginning of an exceptional career in the company. Following successful runs in organizations like TNA, ROH, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Styles cemented his legacy in WWE, achieving numerous championships, including the WWE Championship, United States Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and Tag Team Championship.
As a tribute to his contributions to the wrestling industry, WWE is planning to honor AJ Styles on an episode of Raw in Atlanta, Georgia, the wrestler’s home state. This fitting send-off will commemorate Styles’ remarkable career and the impact he has had on wrestling fans worldwide.