It was Royal Rumble 2016 in Orlando Florida. The number 3 entrant in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match was the Phenomenal AJ Styles who made his WWE debut after wrestling for 20 years in TNA and NJPW. He was the biggest acquisition for WWE in the 2010s. He made an instant impact and became WWE Champion and he wrestled John Cena twice in his debut year. Now 10 years later at Royal Rumble 2026 his career will be on the line on 31st January 2026.
Let’s talk about whether AJ Styles Should retire at Royal Rumble 2026
AJ Styles At the End of a Phenomenal Career
AJ Styles will face Gunther at WWE Royal Rumble 2026. Gunther has cemented himself as the career ender as he has retired Goldberg and John Cena. He wants to add AJ Styles to the list at the Royal Rumble. This match would have had a predictable outcome if AJ Styles was facing anyone else by putting his career on the line because then AJ Styles would have won . If Gunther faced AJ at the Royal Rumble but the career of AJ Styles was not on the line then Gunther would have won. The question is whether AJ Styles should retire at the Royal Rumble.
Let’s see both sides of the spectrum. AJ Styles debuted in WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble. This event holds a special place in his heart and retiring 10 years later at the same event would be poetic. And Gunther will give AJ Styles the best retirement match. The fans in Saudi Arabia will be loud for the Phenomenal One. AJ Styles had already said that this would be his final year as a wrestler. He has already faced Shinsuke Nakamura and CM Punk a week before the Royal Rumble. This gives credibility to the theory that this really could be it. Shinsuke Nakamura posted an Instagram story where he shared that AJ Styles had told him in late 2025 that he would retire at Royal Rumble 2026.
Now let’s look at the other side. There are fans that say that AJ Styles should not retire this early. They are not over saying goodbye to John Cena yet and AJ Styles will be a big blow. He is still wrestling like he is in his prime as proof of his match against Shinsuke Nakamura. He has so many opponents that would love to get in the ring with him. There are the likes of Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar that can have one more match. Then the partnership between WWE and TNA gives AJ Styles the opportunity to wrestle in TNA one last time. The likes of Mike Santana, Frankie Kazarian, Leon Slater, Mustafa Ali are some that would love to wrestle AJ Styles. AJ Styles having a farewell tour that concluded at SummerSlam would be perfect. Either way the wrestling fans will always love AJ Styles.
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