AJ Styles Drops Major Hint About One More Match After Royal Rumble 2026 Retirement
AJ Styles may have lost a career-threatening match at WWE Royal Rumble 2026—but the door to his in-ring future might not be completely shut just yet.
“The Phenomenal One” officially retired after falling to Gunther in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a loss that was supposed to mark the definitive end of his legendary WWE career. While the moment felt final, Styles’ actions after the match immediately sparked debate among fans.
Instead of leaving his gloves in the ring—a long-standing wrestling tradition symbolizing retirement—Styles briefly removed them, only to put them back on before celebrating with the crowd. That small but telling decision has now become the center of renewed speculation.
Adding fuel to the fire, Styles recently appeared on What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, his first public interview since the retirement match. During the conversation, McMahon asked him directly about the glove moment and whether it meant he was leaving the door open.
Styles admitted he didn’t fully understand his own decision but made it clear he’s not ruling anything out.
“Never say never,” Styles explained, noting that many wrestlers have stepped away only to return for a special moment. While he emphasized that a comeback is not imminent, he did float one emotional possibility—sharing the ring with his son one day.
The former WWE World Champion acknowledged that a permanent goodbye is inevitable, but said it’s still unclear whether Royal Rumble 2026 was truly that moment.
“There’ll be a time when the gloves never go back on,” Styles said. “It may be now, but we’ll see.”
Since his retirement, rumors have swirled about potential appearances outside WWE, with fans speculating about AEW, TNA, or NJPW. However, Styles’ own words suggest that if he does wrestle again, it would likely be for a once-in-a-lifetime moment rather than a full return.
For now, AJ Styles remains retired—but as wrestling history has proven time and again, “never say never” might be more than just a cliché.
