7 New Directions For WWE After Royal Rumble 2026
2. AJ Styles Moving On...But To Where?
*Cries in 'Leave The Memories Alone' by Fuel*
What's that old phrase? Don't be sad it's over, just be glad it happened? Something to that effect, anyway. Not many could've accurately predicted that AJ Styles would pass out in Gunther's sleeper hold over in Saudi on Saturday night before the Rumble PLE aired. You've got to give it to WWE there - they really shocked the world.
Creative can probs find an out for AJ's loss if they really want to, but arguably the biggest out available is claiming that it's only his WWE career that's finished. That'd line up another TNA match, or a series of them, which would end a phenomenal run properly. No, Styles didn't start in TNA, but that's where most wrestling fans first found him.
It’s either that or he’s actually off to AEW. The mystery is thrilling, to be fair. As aforementioned, anyone who tells you that they knew AJ was doing the honours to Gunther is full of it. The deathly silent response to the bell sounding in Riyadh should tell you everything you need to know about how plausible this seemed to those in attendance too.
Saudi couldn't believe what they were seeing. WWE grabbed 'em by the short and curlies with this retirement story.
Follow up news reports state that AJ won't be in the house for Monday's episode of Raw, so they're committed to this even if it turns out to be a ruse. Currently, at least for now, WWE and Styles are content to present all of this as totally real. It's rather surreal and sudden in the wake of John Cena's year long retirement tale, eh?