AJ Styles To Retire in 2026; Potential Farewell Tour Could Finish At Major WWE PLE

AJ Styles has enjoyed a phenomenal career, spanning 26 years that started in the Indies in 1998 before a short stint in WCW put his name on the map. He then became a household name and one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling during 11 years with TNA, becoming a TNA World Heavyweight Champion on four occasions.

The 48-year-old made a blockbuster WWE debut at the Royal Rumble in 2016 and has since become a two-time WWE World Champion. The Face That Runs The Place undoubtedly will be a Hall of Famer, and he calls time on his career just months after John Cena.

Styles will face Cena for the very last time at Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, on October 11, but he's currently in Japan, where he became a two-time NJPW World Heavyweight Champion, and gave the news regarding his retirement plans.

He told Tokyo Sports: "I’m really excited. I think this will probably be my last match in Japan, so I’m really looking forward to it. I plan to retire soon, and I might not come back to Japan before that."

The RAW star is facing Cena as one of the 17-time world champion's final opponents of his Farewell Tour. He may now intend to see out his own career by taking on a similar tour of sorts.

He couldn't confirm whether he'd make next year's WrestleMania: "l probably be at WrestleMania, 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."

Styles went on to suggest that he'll likely end up working backstage for WWE once he is no longer competing. His announcement rules out a potential switch to AEW that many pro wrestling fans had been dreaming of.

Who Would Be AJ Styles' Farewell Tour Opponents?

While AJ Styles didn't confirm that WrestleMania would be where he finishes up his career, it's the norm for most top talent to go out at the Show of Shows. It would be an emotional night for fans and one of the most successful and beloved wrestlers in history if he were to retire at WrestleMania 42 in Paradise, Nevada (April 18-19).

John Cena's Farewell Tour could become a theme for legendary WWE stars to bid farewell to their careers while facing some of their greatest rivals. Styles has plenty to choose from and could even head to other promotions, such as making a final in-ring appearance in TNA.

One opponent who would be a must, despite currently being contracted to AEW, is Samoa Joe. The Samoan Submission Machine was one of Styles' closest friends and fiercest foes in TNA, and they took their rivalry to WWE.

Other candidates to face Styles on the Road to a WrestleMania retirement include Roman Reigns, whom he battled for the WWE Championship early in his career. Shinsuke Nakamura would be another option because they could try to make amends for their disappointing past battles, including at WrestleMania 34.

Randy Orton is another longtime rival, while Chris Jericho could reportedly be returning to WWE, with speculation growing over a potential Royal Rumble appearance. It would be fitting for Y2J to be Styles' final opponent at WrestleMania, given he was his first major singles opponent at WrestleMania 32.