A statement has been made by veteran wrestler Eric Young concerning the planned retirement of former WWE Champion AJ Styles. In a recent interview, Young lauded Styles as potentially “one of, if not the best, to do it, bell-to-bell, ever” following the news that Styles intends to retire in 2026.
During the interview with Busted Open, Young affirmed that Styles has a legitimate case for being on a pro wrestling “Mount Rushmore” and possesses a “legacy a mile long.” The praise came in direct response to Styles announcing he will hang up his boots following John Cena’s own retirement tour.
Young’s comments also focused on Styles’ character, noting that he has remained unchanged personally since they first met in 2004. “He’s an unbelievable man, you know? A good person. And he’s never changed,” Young said. “Most importantly, he’s just an unbelievable human being, and I’m proud to call him my friend.”
As part of his final run, Styles is scheduled for a high-profile match against John Cena. The two former WWE Champions are set to face each other one last time at the upcoming WWE Crown Jewel event in Australia.
The announcement is part of a series of recent confirmations from Styles about his impending departure from the ring. In an interview with ABEMA while promoting WWE’s upcoming tour in Japan, Styles made it clear this would likely be his final time competing in the country. “Soon I’ll retire, and I don’t think we’ll get back to Japan before I retire,” Styles stated. “I think that this is probably my last go in Japan as a performer.” This public confirmation follows similar remarks made during SummerSlam weekend, where he suggested that event could have been his last.
The Crown Jewel match in Perth against Cena, which was officially confirmed by Triple H, is a key fixture in Styles’ farewell trajectory. Speaking on the booking, Styles expressed his enthusiasm for the bout. “I am certainly happy for the opportunity to wrestle John Cena on his retirement tour,” he told ABEMA. “I did not think this was going to happen, it honestly just came out of nowhere, but I accept it, I want it, and me and John are going to have one last match and it’s going to be incredible.”