AJ Styles has reaffirmed his plans to step away from the ring, stating during an interview with ABEMA that retirement is approaching. While promoting WWE’s upcoming tour in Japan, he made clear that the trip represents the closing stages of his in-ring career.
“I honestly thought I may not be here in the WWE, so getting the opportunity to come back is really awesome. Probably my last time as a performer going back to Japan. I’m really excited to get back. That means I’m going to hang them up. I’m not going to wrestle anymore. Soon I’ll retire, and I don’t think we’ll get back to Japan before I retire. I think that this is probably my last go in Japan as a performer.”
This is not the first time Styles has publicly raised the subject of ending his career. Earlier in the month, he explained that retirement is planned within the next year, and during SummerSlam weekend, he told media that the event could have been his final appearance at the annual show. The repetition of these statements has underscored that the decision is imminent and not speculative.
His farewell trajectory includes high-profile competition, with WWE already promoting Styles against John Cena at Crown Jewel. That match carries added weight as it falls during Cena’s retirement tour, combining the journeys of two long-established rivals into one more marquee encounter.
The Cena–Styles match was officially confirmed by Triple H for Crown Jewel in Perth, one day after Cena first teased it online. Speaking to ABEMA, Styles reflected on the booking by saying, “I am certainly happy for the opportunity to wrestle John Cena on his retirement tour. 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.”