AJ Styles Broke Down Backstage After Final WWE Match

AJ Styles’ final match left fans asking more questions than getting answers.

At the 2026 Royal Rumble, Styles wrestled against Gunther, with the stipulation stating that if he lost, he would be forced to retire.

And that’s exactly what happened, as The Phenomenal One got himself caught in the dreaded rear-naked chokehold, passing out in the process.

Styles failed to answer the referee’s calls, forcing him to call for the bell, leaving the audience in the Riyadh Season Stadium, as well as viewers worldwide, stunned.

As the fans changed his name, AJ Styles had a moment in the center of the ring where he hoped to leave his gloves. However, he put them back on, resulting in loud cheers, before heading to the back.

Due to this action, fans were left wondering if the 48-year-old had truly retired. It has since been confirmed that he is indeed done with in-ring competition.

AJ Styles Reveals Crying Backstage After Royal Rumble

AJ Styles made the slow walk backstage. While he did not let emotions get the best of him while he stood in the ring, he admitted to breaking down backstage.

Styles pulled the curtain down while speaking on the What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon podcast.

I’m fine. I was AJ Styles all the way from the end of the match, all the way I got to the back. First person I hugged was Chris Park, Abyss, and then it was someone and Punk, and a lot of the other guys. I hugged everybody in there, and it was great, right?

And as soon as I walked around to leave, it freakin’ hit me. So then you see me power walking, little bit of running to get to where they were stacking the bags because I just made it my locker room, and I thought I shut the door. It didn’t shut apparently.

So, I just had my back to the door and I’m just kinda trying not to, like, the biggest baby in the world, and Shane Helms comes up and just kind of grabs me, you know, and he says, “It was alright. You were good, man. You don’t have to turn your back.

Man, so much for him to come up and see me and then Jolene or…you know, she came up and she’s hugging on me and then, Xavier (Woods) comes up and probably squeezed him the hardest because I’ve known him for so long and see him do so well. So many different things. So, yeah, it was a special moment. [1:18:36 onwards]