AJ Styles said he chose the Royal Rumble because it was where his WWE story began: he made his WWE debut at the event in 2016 and wanted to end his career there. He had considered retiring at WrestleMania 41, but his recent foot injury made that timing feel wrong. Separately, Styles’ longtime friend Karl Anderson later said neck pain, accumulated wear and a wish to help younger wrestlers also factored into the decision.
Styles wanted his WWE career to begin and end at the Royal Rumble
In remarks from Insight with Chris Van Vliet, reported by WrestleTalk on July 21, 2026, Styles explained that the Royal Rumble had particular meaning for him because it was the event where he debuted in WWE in 2016. “For me to be able to debut and then end it at the Royal Rumble – and I don’t care that it was in Saudi Arabia, it’s still the Royal Rumble – that meant something to me,” he said.
Styles also said that while some wrestlers regard WrestleMania as their defining event, “mine was the Royal Rumble.” The choice was therefore personal: he wanted his final match to take place at the event that marked his arrival in WWE. WrestleTalk reported that his last in-ring match was a loss to GUNTHER at the January 2026 Royal Rumble.
Why he did not retire at WrestleMania 41
Styles said he had considered ending his career at WrestleMania 41, but the timing did not feel right after he had returned from a foot injury. As WrestleTalk reproduced his explanation: “Well, I was gonna retire before the Royal Rumble at WrestleMania (41), but I just come back from my foot injury, and it just didn’t seem right. I was feeling kind of good, actually.”
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He also described feeling good once his foot was back in order and said he had reached an agreement to extend his contract. He said he had not asked for more money, wanted to extend, and felt WWE had treated him well. His account presents WrestleMania 41 as an option he had considered, not a fixed retirement date he was forced to abandon.
Neck pain and helping younger wrestlers: Anderson’s account
There is also a reported health-and-mentoring explanation, but it comes secondhand. On the Talk’n Shop podcast, Karl Anderson recounted a private conversation in which Styles allegedly told him: “Dude, I have to. My neck is hurting too bad, I’m beat up, it’s time. I want to help the next generation.” Ringside News reported Anderson’s account on February 25, 2026. Those words are Anderson’s recollection, not a direct public statement independently verified from Styles.
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Anderson’s account adds context about wear and Styles’ interest in helping the next generation. It should be kept distinct from Styles’ own public explanation for choosing the Royal Rumble: the event’s significance to his WWE career.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The retirement stipulation was the on-screen setup, not the personal reason
Before the event, TJR Wrestling reported that the Styles–GUNTHER match had a retirement stipulation and covered the disputed submission sequence in Styles’ preceding Raw match. That material explains how WWE framed the story on screen; it does not establish why Styles personally selected the Royal Rumble as his final event.
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TJR also quoted Big E offering a separate interpretation: Styles was proud of his work and did not want fans to see a diminished version of him. That is Big E’s view, rather than an explanation attributed directly to Styles.
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