Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

AJ Styles at the WWE Royal Rumble 2026

3 Signs that AJ Styles Has Not Retired

#2. The Phenomenal One said “Never Say Never” on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast

The word “retirement” in WWE is not a rigid term. Edge retired from active competition in 2011 due to a severe neck injury. However, the Rated-R Superstar returned nine years later in the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble. Shawn Michaels stayed true to his retirement for 8 years, but he came out of retirement to team with Triple H against the Brothers of Destruction at WWE Crown Jewel 2018.

This is why wrestlers and fans like to toss around the proverbial “never say never” phrase. Nothing is set in stone in pro wrestling. If the body heals with time and a good opportunity presents itself, retired Superstars will come out of retirement.

Styles hinted at a comeback when he said, “Never say never” when asked about a potential return to the squared circle. The Phenomenal One expressed interest in wrestling alongside his son. His words were a sign that he isn’t adopting a rigid approach to his retirement.

#1.WWE Has Announced a Tribute for Styles on RAW in Atlanta

Goldberg retired at the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in July 2025. WWE let him cut a retirement speech, which was an absolute indication that the WCW icon was done within the squared circle. John Cena had an entire farewell tour dedicated to his legacy, and he spent quite a lot of time mentally preparing the Cenation for his farewell tour.

In contrast, AJ Styles’ retirement happened suddenly, and no retirement speech followed. Furthermore, none of his past rivals or friends emerged from the locker room to honor his career. On the whole, it felt pretty uneventful. Now, WWE has randomly announced a tribute for Styles in Atlanta. This treatment was not given to Goldberg or Cena. Although this could be a legit celebration of the Phenomenal One’s historic career, it may also be the catalyst that brings him back to the squared circle.

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling

Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on AJ Styles and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.

You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw, WWE archives, WWE Unreal, and other specials), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), ESPN (WWE PLEs), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and Peacock (Saturday Night’s Main Event). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube.

About Shiraz Aslam

Shiraz Aslam is a young journalist based in Pakistan. He has written extensively for Sportskeeda with more than a thousand articles published on the site over 7+ years. Aside from writing about pro wrestling, Shiraz has also written entertainment, cultural, and cricket based articles for Brandsynario and Youlin Magazine.