WWE Is Allegedly Disrespecting AJ Styles With Major Decision

Post John Cena’s retirement, AJ Styles picked up a feud with Gunther.

Styles had grown tired of listening to The Ring General insult Cena’s legacy by constantly claiming that he tapped out like a b**ch.

Their multiple confrontations even led to a match between them on the January 12 episode of WWE Raw, where The Phenomenal One made Gunther tap out, but the referee did not see it.

During last week’s taping, the 48-year-old again confronted the Austrian wrestler, challenging him for a match at the Royal Rumble.

Gunther rejected the offer, but said he would accept it if AJ Styles put his career on the line. Finding himself backed into a corner, Styles discussed the matter with his wife before agreeing to the stipulation.

Elsewhere, upon learning about the potential fate of his once-rival in NJPW, Shinsuke Nakamura shared a transcript of his conversation with Styles, where the latter confirmed that he would be retiring at the Royal Rumble.

WWE got Nakamura’s social media post taken down, but the damage had already been done.

Is WWE Disrespecting AJ Styles With Scheduling Of The Retirement Match?

On a recent episode of The Coach & Bro podcast, ex-WWE employees Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo discussed the situation involving AJ Styles and booking him in a retirement match.

Coachman even touched upon the workings of the promotion and its custom of manufacturing storylines well in advance, accusing them of expediting his retirement.

As they book this, I can’t help but think what they just said in the chat, what they’ve been preaching to us, what Paul Heyman said that everything is booked so far in advance. And if I’m AJ Styles, isn’t it a little bit disrespectful that they would hurry this thing up and they would want to end it? I thought we were gonna get him till June-July, but apparently it ends on Saturday. [53:05 onwards]