AJ Styles has been locked into a heated feud with Gunther ever since John Cena retired, and their feud escalated on Monday night. Following their match on Raw last week, AJ Styles demanded a rematch with Gunther and The Ring General raised the stakes in a major way. Gunther declared that AJ would only get his rematch if he put his career on the line at the Royal Rumble and The Phenomenal One agreed.
Ahead of his potential retirement AJ Styles faced off against Shinsuke Nakamura one last time at Saturday Night’s Main Event in a match that saw AJ pick up the victory.
Shinsuke Nakamura shared a heartfelt post about AJ on his Instagram story which seemingly confirmed that AJ has been planning to retire at the Royal Rumble since WWE’s tour of Japan last year. Nakamura posted the following:
“During last year’s Australia tour at a house show in Melbourne, AJ gave a speech after the match.
Listening to it, it was clear he was thanking the fans. But somehow, it also felt like he was hinting that retirement might not be that far away.
The tour continued to Japan, and before the shows there, I asked him something.
We were in a van on the way to the meet and greet.
I asked him,
“When are you going to retire?”
He answered,
“The Royal Rumble, I’ve already decided.”
Me…
…!!!
Whether I actually said it out loud of just thought it for a split second, I’m not sure. But I remember it clearly.
“Before you retire, I want to wrestle you one more time.”
AJ nodded.
Before the match started, he showed me something he had written on his phone.
It was a message he wanted to say to the Japanese fans.
He asked me to turn it into proper Japanese.
It talked about his anxiety and excitement when he first came to Japan,
and his gratitude toward Japan for accepting him.
It was, without question, a farewell message.
As his voice, I gave that speech in Japanese, putting as much emotion to it as I possibly could.
That was the moment when his retirement finally started to feel real to me.
Even though it was still a little further down the road compared to guys like Cena or Tanahashi,
I found myself imagining the enormous sense of loss that would eventually come.
Ten years ago.
2016. Tokyo Dome.
It was out first ever singles match.
That match was later praised all over the world, and not long after we both left New Japan Pro Wrestling and came to WWE.
We never talked about our futures with each other.
I think we just happened to make huge decisions at the same time.
In America, I was just pushing forward without thinking.
I finished NXT and reunited with AJ on the main roster.
AJ, on the other hand, took over WWE like a fish in water.
He brought a new wind everywhere he went.
And honestly, I remember thinking “Yeah, that figures.”
Our reunion moment at Money in the Bank,
my Royal Rumble victory,
and then our singles match at WrestleMania.
I don’t think any of that would have happened if AJ hadn’t pushed it.
I still have some regrets about what happened after our WrestleMania match,
but the final match of that rivalry, our singles match at Money in the Bank in Detroit,
is actually one of my favorite matches ever so.
He’s straightforward, easy to read, and impossible to hate.
His everyday clothes are terrible, and he’s got that Southern American accent.
What a lovely American.
And yet, when it comes to professional wrestling,
his balance of expression and technique is the best in the world.
Truly one of a kind.
I don’t say it out loud, but I rely on him.
I respect him.
And even though we don’t actually know each other as deeply as people might think,
to me, he’s special. Almost like a brother and a best friend, in my own way.
And now…
our final match awaits.
My last chance to give him the perfect send off.
Do your best, me.
And pro wrestling gods, please be kind.”
Shinsuke Nakamura seemingly confirmed that AJ Styles is planning to retire at the Royal Rumble pic.twitter.com/lWmjCFRzLG
— Still Real To Us (@stillreal2us) January 25, 2026