AJ Styles says he’ll retire from WWE within the next year: I want to ‘before my body can no longer move’

AJ Styles is winding down his phenomenal career. Styles, who wrestles John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel, recently confirmed he will retire from professional wrestling in the next year.

Styles, 48, is beginning his countdown towards retirement. As Styles prepares to wrestle Cena on the latter’s farewell tour, he admits he’ll soon hang up the boots himself.

“I will definitely retire within the next year,” Styles told Tokyo Sports (translation by Pro Wrestling Net). “I don’t want the fans to see me as anyone other than AJ Styles. That’s the main reason. I’ve decided to retire before my body can no longer move.” 

Styles expects to perform at WrestleMania next year, but said his involvement is unconfirmed. The two-time WWE champion has ambitions to work with WWE as a producer or trainer after retiring from wrestling, but needs more time to sit with that decision.

“I haven’t decided yet, but I think I’ll probably work for WWE,” he said. “It might be good to train young wrestlers to be worthy of being on the main roster.”

Styles is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation. He came to prominence with TNA Wrestling and Ring of Honor after short stints with WCW and WWE in the early 2000s. “The Phenomenal One” was instrumental to TNA’s success, particularly as the inaugural X-Division champion. Styles is also TNA’s first triple crown and grand slam champion. An innovative performer, AEW star Will Ospreay is among those who credit Styles as a key inspiration.

Styles’ signing with WWE felt like a pipedream. His athletic, small-man style was in many ways the antithesis of WWE’s prototypical main event superstar at the time. However, a main event run as New Japan Pro Wrestling’s top champion led to communication between Styles and WWE. His 2016 Royal Rumble debut remains one of the loudest, most memorable Rumble entries ever. According to Styles, Vince McMahon tabbed Styles as a midcard act. Again, Styles defied expectations, winning the WWE world heavyweight championship in his debut year. Styles feuded with many of the company’s top stars. His feud with Cena, which he revisits at Crown Jewel, is considered one of the best rivalries of Cena’s career.