AJ Styles has officially retired following his match at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
AJ Styles Says Goodbye at Royal Rumble 2026
Styles faced GUNTHER under a stipulation that required Styles to retire if he lost. GUNTHER emerged victorious, adding Styles to a growing list of legendary opponents he has defeated in retirement matches in recent months, joining names like Goldberg and John Cena.
Unlike Cena, Styles did not submit, instead passing out while trapped in GUNTHER’s sleeper hold.
After the match, Styles removed his gloves and appeared ready to leave them in the ring, only to put them back on and pose with the P1 logo one final time. His first recorded match dates back to 1999 with NWA Wildside. He briefly competed in both WCW and WWE in 2001 and 2002 before cementing his legacy in TNA, where he became one of the promotion’s defining stars over a run that spanned more than a decade.
Styles also competed in top non-WWE promotions such as ROH and NJPW before making his WWE debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble match.
Styles Debuted at 2016 Royal Rumble
Ten years later, he wrestled his final match for the company at the 2026 edition of the event. During his WWE career, Styles became a two-time WWE Champion, a three-time United States Champion, an Intercontinental Champion, and a two-time Tag Team Champion—once alongside Omos in 2021 and once with Dragon Lee in 2025.
Styles had previously stated that his goal was to retire from in-ring competition in 2026, a plan he officially fulfilled tonight.
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