“It Just Got Too Complicated”: WWE Legend AJ Styles Reveals Why He Ditched Modern Wrestling Games
The Phenomenal One might have hung up his boots, but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped thinking about the squared circle. Just weeks after his emotional farewell at the Royal Rumble, AJ Styles is opening up about a different kind of wrestling—the virtual kind.
Following his legendary career-ending match against Gunther in Saudi Arabia, fans were hoping to see “The Phenomenal One” grace the ring just one more time at WrestleMania. But as AJ explains, his body was sending him a clear message, leading to his final bow on January 31. While he’s stepped away from in-ring competition, The Game himself, Triple H, has already locked him down for a crucial backstage role, tasking him with mentoring the next generation of WWE superstars—a gig not too dissimilar from the legendary Shawn Michaels.
And speaking of the future, AJ recently shared a heartwarming update on his podcast, revealing he’s already started coaching his own son, who dreams of following in his father’s footsteps. But the conversation quickly shifted from the physical ring to the digital one, and Styles got real about his gaming habits.
While AJ loves a good virtual fight, he confessed that modern, hyper-realistic grappling games just aren’t his vibe anymore. He recalled the good old days in the locker room, bonding with the boys over a much simpler, more explosive experience.
“You want to know what my sweet spot is?” Styles shared. “Back in the day, we’d play UFC in the locker room, but we had one rule: no grappling. Just knockouts. That’s all we wanted. The grappling in those games? It’s just too much to grasp.”
AJ explained that the complex controls and simulation-style mechanics have taken the fun out of it for him. “It gets to the point where you’re holding one button for a strong grapple and tapping another for a light one. It becomes a chore. It’s just not as fun as an arcade-style brawler where you can just let loose. That, for me, is the perfect way to play.”
