Will AJ Styles Appear On WWE RAW After Retirement?
AJ Styles retired after his match against Gunther at the WWE Royal Rumble on Saturday.
The bout was contested under the stipulation that if Styles lost, he would retire from wrestling.
Expectedly, The Ring General dominated the match, striking the former champion with a flurry of offense and cornering him for chops at every opportunity.
At some point in the match, Styles also suffered a deep gash on his arm that may have weakened his attacks.
Having retired two veterans in Goldberg and John Cena in 2025, Gunther was highly motivated to add another name to his list. In the closing minutes, he applied the rear-naked chokehold as he had done on Goldberg and Cena.
While AJ Styles attempted to revive himself, he was too weak. Ultimately, he lost consciousness, leading to the referee calling for the bell.
After realizing what had happened, the 48-year-old appeared emotional while saying his thank yous to the Riyadh crowd and the fans watching the premium live event worldwide.
AJ Styles To Not Appear On WWE Raw
The February 2, 2026, episode of WWE Raw will take place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Two days removed from the first PLE of the year, the taping of the red brand will continue building towards WrestleMania 42.
At the Royal Rumble, AJ Styles did not directly address the WWE Universe with a speech, so it is understandable if the fans expect an appearance from him on the upcoming Raw episode.
However, according to a report by PWInsider, The Phenomenal One will not be a part of the show. It is also not known if he will ever appear inside the squared circle anytime soon.
On the show, WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer will defend her title against Raquel Rodriguez in a Philadelphia Street Fight match.
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