Phenomenal One details how injury recovery reshaped his retirement decision
Summary
– AJ Styles originally intended to retire at WrestleMania
– A severe injury changed his timeline and mindset
– He chose Royal Rumble to mirror his WWE debut
AJ Styles has revealed that his WWE farewell almost took place at WrestleMania.
Speaking on a WWE vlog released on February 20, 2026, Styles confirmed that the original plan for his final match centered around WrestleMania. He viewed the annual event as the biggest possible stage for a retirement moment.
That direction shifted after he returned from an injury that he admitted ended most careers. Once he felt physically capable of returning to his standard, limiting his comeback to a short run leading into WrestleMania no longer felt authentic.
Styles explained that returning for only a couple of months to retire did not sit right with him. Instead, he looked back to where his WWE story truly began.
His surprise debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble remains one of the most memorable entrances of that era. Ten years later, he closed the chapter at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, where GUNTHER defeated him in what became his final match.
Questions still surround his status. Styles was recently seen at the WWE Performance Center and is advertised for a February 23 RAW appearance in Atlanta. The episode is being promoted as a celebration of his career, with reports suggesting something notable could unfold.
Styles made it clear that WrestleMania was once the destination. Ultimately, he chose to end his run where it all started.
