AJ Styles Signs New WWE Deal

At the end of his emotional retirement ceremony on Monday Night Raw, WWE surprised AJ Styles. The Undertaker appeared to break the news that Styles would be going into the Hall of Fame this year. WWE fans are now getting to see exactly how Styles reacted backstage following the announcement.

WWE posted a video of the backstage footage from the evening on their official YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/wwe. The video showed Styles gathering with his family just a few minutes after Raw went off the air. He shared his immediate thoughts with the cameras.

“I guess we’re going to WrestleMania, at least to the Hall of Fame,” Styles said.

He was clearly overwhelmed by the prestigious honor.

“I’m very excited. I don’t know, I really can’t think of the words to express how I feel. ‘Gratitude’s’ a big one. ‘Thankful.’ ‘Blessed,’” he added.

Styles mentioned that getting the news in his hometown, surrounded by his loved ones, made it even more special.

“I’m glad they were here to see it too,” he said, referring to his wife and children.

He reflected on the unique circumstances of the evening.

“What a place, being told you’re going into the Hall of Fame in the city that you live in. It was going to be a great night, and you got married. It’s awesome,” he stated.

The wrestling database Cagematch lists Styles with 14 matches in the city of Atlanta. The first was a win over Rick Micheals in a dark match at a WWF Jakked taping in July of 2001. The last was a no contest against LA Knight on WWE SmackDown in January of 2024.

One reason AJ Styles has hung up his boots is that he wanted to go out while he could still deliver in the ring. On WWE’s Raw Recap program with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant, Styles was asked why this was the right time to retire.

“I mean, now is the right time to retire so I don’t make a fool out of myself, so I don’t embarrass myself,” he said.

He wanted to preserve his legacy as an elite in-ring performer.

“I’m on the verge of doing just that. Now’s the time. It’s not easy, mind you, but it’s the time,” he admitted.

Styles was also asked about retiring in another promotion, and he reminded everyone that he almost never ended up in WWE.

“Here’s the crazy thing: Had TNA offered me the deal that I had, I would have stayed there,” he said.

He expressed pride in his past accomplishments outside of WWE.

“So there was that. I was proud of the fact that I helped make a company. I wanted to be there. But, as things would have it, here I am in WWE and I’m grateful for it,” he ended.

Styles was part of the first match in TNA history, teaming with Jerry Lynn and Low-Ki in a losing effort against the Flying Elvises. His last match in the promotion was a loss to Magnus in December of 2013. He has famously said that the contract he was offered at the time would have come with an enormous pay cut.

Styles will be formally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 42 weekend. The ceremony is expected to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April 2026. Styles will join Stephanie McMahon in the prestigious class of wrestling legends.

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