AJ Styles has confirmed his retirement from in-ring competition, clarifying his future role with WWE and dismissing speculation about a potential move to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The announcement came during an appearance on the Talk N Shop podcast with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, following his match against Gunther at the Royal Rumble on January 31.
Styles stated he intends to remain with WWE, focusing on mentoring younger talent. “I’m still going to be working with WWE. That’s not going to change. I have these dreams of helping out young talent. If somebody is not ready once they acquire there, it’s my job to hopefully facilitate them get to that point to where they can do it and they are confident when they step into a WWE ring. Being able to help with that is a blessing,” Styles said.
The former WWE Champion directly addressed rumors that his recent Hall of Fame induction was a strategic move by WWE to prevent him from signing with AEW. “Let me deliver you something to talk about. So, everybody wants to say, ‘Oh! WWE put him [AJ Styles] in the Hall of Fame so that he couldn’t go to AEW.’ Guys, I am retired from wrestling in the ring. Like, that’s all this is. I make my own choices, I make my own decisions. I was ready,” Styles explained.
Prior to his retirement, Styles was reportedly a target for AEW. According to Justin Barrasso of Undisputed, sources close to Styles indicated that AEW President Tony Khan was prepared to make a “substantial offer” with a flexible schedule had Styles chosen to wrestle outside of WWE.
WWE honored Styles with a tribute segment on Monday’s Raw in Atlanta, culminating in an announcement by The Undertaker inducting Styles into the WWE Hall of Fame. Karl Anderson revealed backstage at WWE Raw that Styles had confided in him about his deteriorating neck condition, stating, “His neck is hurting too bad.”
Swerve Strickland of AEW weighed in on the possibility of Styles joining the promotion, according to Sports Illustrated, but Styles has now definitively stated his in-ring career is over.