IWC Scum — Is WWE Total Nonstop Acting With This AJ Styles Retirement Angle?
Welcome back to the column that puts the incessant whining and complaining in IWC. I’m a know-nothing loafer named SkitZ who’s couch bound while he waits out this latest snow storm.
So how about that blindside of a banger AJ and Shinsuke blessed us with on Saturday Night’s Main Event? What struck many as inconsequential filler that WWE had only made official 24 hours earlier quickly morphed into the best match on a show full of strong performances. Did it blow Styles and Nakamura’s effort at WrestleMania 34 out of the water? Yeah, but this final showdown of theirs also didn’t carry with it the weight of expectation. The IWC whipped itself into such a frenzy back then for their heavily billed “dream match” that the anticipation level was on par with a Game of Thrones or Stranger Things series finale. Good luck delivering under that type of atmospheric pressure.
Between the impromptu announcement, the in-ring execution, and the post-match show of respect for one another, Nak versus AJ certainly lent credibility to the notion that Styles’ career will indeed conclude next weekend at the Royal Rumble. The sudden deletion of Shinsuke’s heartfelt Instagram post praising The Phenomenal One has only added more momentum to the rumor mill. It wouldn’t shock me if WWE were to push off Styles’ impending retirement for another few months; partially to squeeze more blood out of the stone, but also just to swerve a fanbase who swears they have it all figured out.
In the midst of what could very well be the final week of AJ’s illustrious career, it’s led me to reflect a bunch on the entirety of his WWE run. Being the eternal pessimist that I am, one particular question keeps popping into my brain: Has the company ultimately done right by The Phenomenal One?
He came in as a certified legend in most wrestling circles, but an unproven commodity in the eyes of Vince McMahon. It took the boss maybe 4-6 months to realize what he had in AJ Styles, which resulted in the TNA icon soaring to the top of the card and becoming one of John Cena’s greatest rivals in the process. They gave Styles the superstar treatment throughout his first five years with WWE; capturing every title worth winning en route to becoming a Grand Slam Champion. And while the second half of AJ’s decade long run with the company has had its moments, there’s been a noticeable dropoff. Not as much in Styles’ abilities as a glaring shift in how he’s booked and presented across the board.
Yes he’s getting up there in age – set to turn 49 this summer – but this is motherfuckin’ AJ Styles we’re talking about here. The man is still better in 2026 than most wrestlers on their best day, which he’s reminded the industry and online community of over these past few weeks. Feuding with Gunther right after his historic submission victory over John Cena last month is a huge deal, no doubt, but does Styles deserve more at the tail-end of his career? This can’t be how it ends… AJ jobbing to The Aussie again and being shown the door after the Royal Rumble? Surely, Triple H & Co. can’t think any of us would be satisfied with that short of a retirement tour? Logan Paul can’t possibly turn out to be his final WrestleMania opponent, right!?
Honestly, I don’t believe AJ wants the type of grandiose exit that Cena received. Styles has confessed as much in interviews, and I can’t forget what he said to the GOAT following their final encounter at Crown Jewel. In so many words, AJ told John in the midst of being praised that he’s running on an empty tank, and the company just doesn’t know it yet.
Styles’ current contract is reportedly due to expire sometime in February, so him bowing out next Saturday makes perfect sense. And perhaps in the mind of AJ and the various creative minds behind the scenes, having The Phenomenal One officially retire at WrestleMania 42 is far too predictable. Fair enough, but late January also feels a tad premature. They could absolutely be setting us up for a swerve at the Royal Rumble where, either the match ends in shenanigans, or Styles gets screwed once again. And because of this, AJ is granted one more match against The Ring General in late April with his career on the line. A bit repetitive and anticlimactic, but I could see things playing out that way. Especially since I’m having trouble envisioning who else Gunther would square off with at this year’s WrestleMania (Oba versus Brock seems too tempting to pass up).
While Styles has been positioned in a major feud where he can further enhance The Ring General’s growing legacy, I can’t help but feel as if it’s… not enough? Meaning a Hall of Famer as universally beloved and respected as The Phenomenal One deserves to win the 2026 Royal Rumble and go on to challenge for a World Title at WM42. That doesn’t appear to be in the cards, which feels like a big fat missed opportunity. The overarching theme of AJ’s last year or two as an active wrestler.
He’s settled into a Kevin Owens/Randy Orton-esque role as his career has winded down, which is a position most wrestlers would be thrilled to fill. You can literally plug Styles into a World Title program at any point – whether it’s against Roman or Seth or Cody – and he’ll make them look like a million bucks no matter how many times they throw hands. As a fan though, you go into every one of those scenarios knowing AJ’s there to deliver a 4-5 star match and do another job. That breed of wrestler is super valuable in today’s WWE, don’t get me wrong, but it becomes formulaic and an altogether buzzkill after so many reps. Realizing Styles has plateaued and the company’s got no intention of putting the World Title on him again is a major morale killer, especially given how decked out in hardware he was during that initial stretch from 2016-18.
The injuries piling up post-pandemic and taking their toll didn’t do AJ any favors, but he’s been perfectly healthy over the past calendar year. His feud with Dirty Dom stalled due to a stupid doctor’s note storyline and stretched on for far longer than it ever should have. Styles went from being tentatively booked to dethrone Dom and later drop the Intercontinental Championship to John Cena, to just repeatedly putting over Mysterio. Rather than turn AJ into comic relief while he hopelessly pursued Dominik, Creative should’ve pivoted and found a more rewarding spot for Styles. Why not align him with the other babyfaces on RAW who were beefing with The Vision? Perhaps then we could’ve eventually gotten that World Heavyweight Title showdown which we so desperately wanted to see between AJ Styles and CM Punk.
There’s also his random pairing with Dragon Lee and their brief reign as RAW Tag Team Champions. Were Team AJ Lee involved in a handful of fast-paced crowd pleasers over the course of those two months? You bet your ass, but what did it really accomplish outside of occupying Styles’ final few months of 2025? How much did it propel Dragon Lee’s career forward when the luchador’s destined to fall right back into obscurity as WrestleMania season heats up? And more importantly, if the company knew these past 12 months were probably going to be AJ’s last hurrah, then why on Earth wouldn’t you book him with a greater sense of urgency in higher profile feuds?
Some fans are hopeful that The Phenomenal One is finishing up his WWE commitments early in the year so he can spend the remainder of it back in TNA, but that’s a delirious line of thinking. There ain’t a chance in hell that Triple H and Nick Khan are willing to let that type of money or publicity slip away. They’d be intent on AJ finishing his career with WWE. Hunter can try to sell us all day on the collaboration with TNA being a mutually beneficial one, but you know as well as I do that no such partnership exists.
We as wrestling fans have been so conditioned to excess and episodic drama, our selfish asses are struggling to accept that this might be how the story of AJ Styles ends. Almost as if we’re owed more and won’t be satisfied with anything less than another year-long retirement tour. If you and I truly loved and respected the man, we would support his decision to call it quits at the Royal Rumble; not misaim our criticism at WWE for concluding AJ’s retirement run in January simply because there’s 11 months left in 2026. Hunter would happily honor The Phenomenal One’s wishes and let him finish on a high note, rather than risk Styles losing another step while the wrestling world is hyperfixated on his every move.
As someone who’s endlessly indecisive, there’s a finality in AJ peacing out on his own terms and nobody else’s that I deeply admire. I’m downright envious. Styles has accepted his fate. He’s ready to hang it up, even if the rest of us refuse to follow suit and say our goodbyes just yet. Live and let go you goddamn gluttons!