For the longest time, events like WWE WrestleMania 42 were thought of as the biggest event of the year. However, that may no longer be the case, which is why AJ Styles retired at the Royal Rumble instead this past January.
During an appearance on the Monday Night RAW recap show (via Fightful Select), Styles revealed why he didn't retire at WrestleMania 41, where he initially wanted to. He was coming back from an injury, and he didn't feel that a two-month build would be enough for his last-ever match.
So, he chose to retire at the 2026 Royal Rumble the following January. Styles wanted to close his career at the same PLE he debuted at a decade earlier.
“It was coming back from an injury to WrestleMania to a match that, to me, didn’t have much build. WrestleMania, I’m sorry to say, used to be the most prestigious PLE, but to me, it’s kind of lost its luster a little bit. As far as the Royal Rumble, that’s special to me because that’s where I made my debut. To be able to end where I started is poetic,” he said.
WWE celebrated AJ Styles' retirement on RAW
During the Feb. 24, 2026, edition of Monday Night RAW, WWE celebrated Styles. He retired after losing to Gunther at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 31, 2026.
This marked the end of Styles' in-ring career, at least with WWE. He concluded his career a decade after making his debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble.
He put his career on the line in a match against Gunther. They started feuding after the “Ring General” retired John Cena in December 2025.
Styles took exception to how Gunther was gloating about the win. They faced during the Jan. 12 edition of RAW. Styles lost in controversial fashion. He had forced Gunther to tap out, but the referee didn't see it. The “Ring General” took advantage, beating Styles using underhanded tactics.
