During the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event, AJ Styles lost to GUNTHER in a singles match, marking the end of his illustrious in-ring career with the company. The Phenomenal One was visibly emotional after the defeat. Following the match, Styles received a huge ovation from the fans and initially appeared ready to leave his gloves in the ring as a symbolic gesture.
However, he chose to keep his gloves on and raised his hands to the fans again. As he prepared to exit the ring, Styles re-entered briefly to give the fans the “Two Sweet” sign, thanking them one last time before finally leaving the ring. Since he did not leave his gloves behind, many speculate that he may not be done with in-ring competition just yet. However, during the post-show, Peter Rosenberg suggested, based on his conversation with Styles, that this scenario is unlikely.
According to PWInsider.com, the Royal Rumble was always intended to be a potential turning point for Styles, as he had expressed a desire to retire in 2026. It’s also noted that he is not scheduled to appear on WWE RAW the following Monday. The report states that AEW would be eager to have Styles once he becomes available after his WWE contract ends, but it remains uncertain whether he will return to wrestling.
Recently, Styles filed trademarks for “Phenomenal AJ Styles” and “P1,” leading fans to speculate that he plans to wrestle elsewhere after leaving WWE. However, Dave Meltzer, in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, suggested that these trademarks were likely filed for Styles to gain control over his branding for appearances, merchandise, and other projects outside of wrestling.
Styles began his WWE career just over ten years ago at the same event, the Royal Rumble. Throughout his time with WWE, he became a two-time WWE Champion, a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a three-time U.S. Champion, and a four-time tag team champion with various partners. Most recently, he held the World Tag Team Titles with Dragon Lee during his last WWE tag title run.