AJ Styles Reveals Why Now Is The Right Time For WWE Retirement

AJ Styles wanted to bow out while he was still on top of his game.

The in-ring career of AJ Styles has come to an end, with “The Phenomenal One” receiving an emotional sendoff on last night’s episode of WWE Raw. Still, many wrestling fans are insistent that Styles is capable of performing at a high-level for a number of years more.

Styles himself isn’t sure that’s the case, which is why he decided to hang up his boots in 2026.

“Why is now the right time to retire? I mean, now’s the right time to retire so I don’t make a fool out of myself, so I don’t embarrass myself,” Styles said on the WWE Raw Recap. “I’m on the verge of doing just that. Now’s the time. It’s not easy, mind you, but it’s the time.”

At the age of 48, Styles leaves the squared circle as a decorated champion across WWE, TNA Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and the independent circuit. In WWE, his efforts will be honored with an induction into its Hall of Fame in April.

Styles last competed at the 2026 Royal Rumble, an event that marked the ten-year anniversary of his WWE debut during the 2016 iteration. This time, Styles took on Gunther with the added stipulation that if Styles lost, he must retire. Gunther, now known as “The Career Killer,” secured the win after making Styles pass out to his signature sleeper hold.

During the RAW Recap, AJ Styles also explained why retiring at the Royal Rumble made sense to him, claiming that WrestleMania has started to lose its luster in recent years.

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