AJ Styles Addresses In-Ring Future After Royal Rumble Retirement

AJ Styles may have wrestled his final WWE match at the 2026 Royal Rumble—but according to AJ himself, the door isn’t completely closed.

Speaking to Stephanie McMahon on the February 5, 2026 episode of What’s Your Story?, Styles was asked about the subtle gesture he made after his loss to GUNTHER—specifically, appearing to place his gloves down before putting them back on.

“I noticed it looked like you were going to put your gloves down, but then you didn’t—you put them back on. What does that mean?”

Styles, never one to oversell the drama, left the answer open-ended: “I don’t know.” Stephanie pushed further, reminding him that in wrestling, the retirement door rarely locks shut, saying, “Because you know, this is wrestling—the door is always open.” That’s when the Phenomenal One offered a glimpse into his thinking—not about a full-time return, but the possibility of one last moment, under the right circumstances.

“I know. Never say never, that’s the saying. I think everyone should be allowed, at least once, to come out of retirement for a match. I’m not saying I’ll do it anytime soon.”

He even floated a dream scenario involving his son—suggesting the only thing that could truly bring him back would be the chance to share the ring with family.

“I mean, what if my son wrestles someday? The opportunity to tag with him just once? You never know. So there will be a time when the gloves never go back on—and that time might be now. But we’ll see.”

This follows reports from Fightful Select confirming that Styles’ WWE contract would be ending sometime in February 2026, and that his in-ring career with the company is officially done—on his terms. WWE sources have said the company would welcome him back at any time, but Styles had been eyeing retirement “for years.” Triple H publicly confirmed after the Rumble that AJ told him personally: “he’s done with the in-ring part.”

Whether or not he ever laces up the boots again, AJ Styles has left behind a legacy worthy of wrestling’s elite. But with one glove still on—and a dream tag match with his son floating in the distance—we might see him step back in the ring again one day.

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