AJ Styles has officially announced that he will retire from professional wrestling in 2026.
Ahead of the WWE Supershow in Japan, taking place on October 17 and 18, Styles revealed in an interview with Tokyo Sports that his upcoming match in Japan will be his last one in the country.
“I’m really excited. This will probably be my last fight in Japan, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m planning to retire soon, so I may not come back to Japan before I retire.”
He also spoke about his plans before stepping away from the ring and confirmed that next year will be his last as a pro wrestler.
“I will probably appear at WrestleMania (next year), but it’s not confirmed yet. The details are still undecided, but I will definitely retire within the next year. I don’t want to show my fans a side of me that isn’t AJ Styles. That’s the main reason. I’ve decided to retire before my body can no longer move.”
The Phenomenal One added that he will likely stay in wrestling in some capacity.
“I haven’t decided yet, but I think I’ll probably work for WWE. It might be good to train young wrestlers to be worthy of being on the main roster, but I don’t know yet.”
He closed by sharing his thoughts on competing one final time in Japan.
“Japan is the place that shaped AJ Styles, and it’s also my favorite place in the world. I’ll give it my all in the ring. If I can earn the respect of the Japanese fans, they’ll cheer me on forever. That’s why I come to Japan every time.”
AJ Styles recently teased retirement by posting a photo of an hourglass on his Instagram account. His WWE contract is rumored to expire around February 2026.
The former WWE Champion will face John Cena at Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, on Saturday, October 11.
LATEST: Reason Behind AJ Styles Taking Aim At WWE Management On RAW
