Why WWE Will Struggle To Book AJ Styles’ Final Year

Earlier this year, AJ Styles publicly declared that he intends to retire from in-ring wrestling in 2026.

He reiterated his plans on the WWE Crown Jewel 2025 pre-show kick-off event, noting his age, the physical toll of wrestling, and his desire to focus on family. He highlighted that he wants fans to remember the real AJ Styles and prefers to step away before his performance level declines. Styles also confirmed that after retirement, he may transition into training or producing for WWE, but has not finalized those plans.

Styles is set to retire next year, but chatter regarding his retirement tour dates and bookings has already started in the wrestling community. Speaking on a recent episode of Writing with Russo, former WWE head writer Vince Russo pointed out that WWE may struggle to book AJ Styles’ final year.

WWE Should Let AJ Styles Pick Opponents For His Farewell Run

He highlighted that since AJ Styles has already publicly announced he is retiring at the end of next year, there’s no suspense left about his future. Fans know he’s leaving, so classic wrestling angles like “loser leaves town” don’t work because WWE can’t create drama around whether he’ll be forced out.

Russo’s advice is that if WWE wants Styles’ retirement tour to be successful then they should just let him pick his opponents on his farewell run, allowing him to work with the people he wants.

“Bro, I don’t even know. Like I don’t know what to tell you. As a shoot, i would let AJ work against who he wants to work against. Let’s face it, we’re in the era of the five star match. There is no way out, especially when he announces he’s on his way out. So you can’t do a loser leaves town angle because you told us you’re leaving. So we know you’re leaving at the end of the year. So, everybody knows the end of the story. So knowing them, the easy way out is to let them have matches with people that he wants to have matches, man.”

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