“It’s Just Not the Same Anymore”: AJ Styles Opens Up on Why WrestleMania Has Lost Its Magic
AJ Styles has never been one to sugarcoat things, and his latest comments about WWE’s biggest event are turning heads in the wrestling world.
Just weeks after hanging up his boots, “The Phenomenal One” sat down on Raw Talk to reflect on his legendary career. While fans are still processing his emotional farewell at the Royal Rumble, Styles dropped a truth bomb about the Grandest Stage of Them All: WrestleMania simply doesn’t feel as special to him anymore.
The Royal Rumble Always Had His Heart
For Styles, the magic of WWE was always personal. He admitted that while WrestleMania is marketed as the peak of sports entertainment, the prestige has faded for him over time.
“It used to be the most prestigious pay-per-view,” Styles explained. “But to me, it’s kind of lost its luster a little bit.”
So, what changed? For the former WWE Champion, it all comes back to where his journey began. He revealed that the Royal Rumble has always held a deeper meaning. It was the site of his shocking debut, and he felt it was only right that his career ended in the same place where it started in the company.
“To be able to end where I started, it’s poetic,” he said.
A Retirement Delayed by Injury
Styles also opened up about his final chapter, revealing that his original plan to bow out at WrestleMania 41 was derailed by an injury in 2024. Looking back, he feels that waiting for the right moment was crucial.
He briefly touched on his previous WrestleMania bout against Logan Paul, noting that the story leading into it didn’t feel substantial enough to warrant being his final bow. He wanted his last ride to mean something—and it did.
His actual retirement match came at the 2026 Royal Rumble, where he put his career on the line in a brutal showdown with Gunther. Though he didn’t get the win, the send-off he received during the following Monday Night Raw in Georgia was nothing short of a standing ovation from the WWE universe.
A Hall of Fame Future
Even though he’s retired from in-ring competition, Styles’ legacy is already being cemented. Following his emotional goodbye, The Undertaker himself confirmed that AJ Styles will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026, an honor that recognizes his incredible comebacks and unforgettable performances throughout the years.
While he may feel WrestleMania has lost a step, there’s no denying that AJ Styles himself never did.
