A WWE Hall of Famer has spoken about how they felt AJ Styles‘ retirement at the 2026 Royal Rumble was a disappointment.
AJ Styles put his career on the line against Gunther at the pay-per-view, but the aftermath of the match failed to leave a lasting impression on the longtime commentator. Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross said the moment felt noticeably flat, particularly given the significance of the bout.
“I was a little underwhelmed after the match with Gunther and AJ,” Ross said. “I thought it should have been a bigger dog and pony show. That’s just me, but that’s how I felt when the match was over.”
Ross suggested the location of the show may have played a role, believing a career-ending match deserved a more emotional send-off than what was possible in Saudi Arabia. Styles fuelled further speculation by briefly removing his gloves after the loss, only to put them back on, leaving fans wondering whether his in-ring career is truly over.
While Ross doubts Styles will wrestle elsewhere while still under a WWE deal, he admitted the idea of calling another Styles match would be more than enough motivation for him personally.
“Oh, hell yeah, it’d be great,” Ross said. “That would certainly give me ample encouragement to return to the road, to know that I got to call an AJ Styles main event when I got back. But I do think he’s done as a full-timer. If I were him, I’d pick my spots and work only when I wanted to, where I wanted to, with who I wanted to. He’s earned that.”
Ross also dismissed the idea of WWE allowing Styles to work a farewell tour across other promotions, including AEW or NJPW, citing the risk involved.
“I don’t see how the hell WWE could risk him getting hurt in somebody else’s ring,” Ross added.
Styles’ future remains unclear, but Ross’ comments underline the feeling among some fans that one of WWE’s most influential stars deserved a more definitive farewell moment.
Is AJ Styles Still Under A WWE Contract?
It has not been reported whether AJ Styles’ WWE contract has expired or not, but it has previously been reported by Fightful Select that his deal was expected to end sometime in February. As of the time of writing, Styles is still listed on WWE’s roster page as an active Raw star, and neither he nor WWE has stated that his time with the company is officially over.
