Hall of Famer-to-be outlines post-retirement plans
Summary
– AJ Styles confirms he will continue working with WWE after retiring
– WWE honored him on Raw with a Hall of Fame announcement
– AEW rumors shut down as Styles focuses on mentoring young talent
AJ Styles may have stepped away from active competition, but his journey in professional wrestling is far from finished. Following his official retirement after falling to Gunther at the Royal Rumble, questions quickly surfaced about whether he would explore opportunities outside WWE.
Those rumors gained steam after reports suggested AEW had a strong interest in bringing him in if he chose to lace up his boots elsewhere. That speculation has now been addressed directly by Styles himself.
During a recent appearance on Talk N Shop, Styles made it clear that his future remains with WWE. He explained that retirement from in-ring action does not mean severing ties with the company. Instead, he plans to transition into a role centered on developing the next wave of talent.
WWE paid tribute to Styles on the February 23 episode of Raw in Atlanta, his hometown. The emotional segment reached its peak when The Undertaker appeared and revealed that Styles will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 42 weekend.
Styles shared that helping younger performers grow into confident, television-ready stars is now a personal mission. He views guiding talent as both a responsibility and an opportunity to give back to the business that shaped his career.
With a Hall of Fame induction on the horizon and a new chapter beginning behind the curtain, Styles has made his stance clear. His WWE story is not ending; it is simply moving in a different direction.
