AJ Styles Addresses AEW Rumors and Future Role with WWE
As announced on the February 23rd, 2026, edition of WWE RAW by The Undertaker, professional wrestler AJ Styles will be inducted into the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame. Following the announcement, Styles addressed speculation regarding a potential move to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and clarified his future plans with WWE.
Retirement Confirmed, Focus Shifts to Talent Development
Speaking on the Talk’n Shop podcast, Styles definitively stated his retirement from in-ring competition. He emphasized that his Hall of Fame induction was not a strategic move by WWE to prevent him from joining AEW. “Everybody wants to say, ‘Oh, WWE put him in the Hall of Fame so he couldn’t go to AEW.’ Guys, I’m retired from wrestling in the ring. That’s all this is. I make my own choices. I make my own decisions,” Styles explained.
Despite stepping away from active wrestling, Styles expressed his enthusiasm for remaining with WWE in a new capacity. He articulated a desire to mentor and develop younger talent, stating, “I was ready. I’m still going to be working with WWE. That’s not going to change.”
A Passion for Nurturing the Next Generation
Styles detailed his vision for helping aspiring wrestlers refine their skills and build confidence. “I have these dreams and aspirations of helping out the younger talent and helping them get ready. If somebody’s not ready once they get there, it’s my job to hopefully help them get to that point where they can do well and they’re confident when they step into a WWE ring—that they have the ability and the talent. They’re one of the boys or one of the girls. They belong,” he said.
He views this mentorship role as a “blessing” and is “so excited” about the opportunity to contribute to the growth of future WWE stars.
AEW Offer Acknowledged
Reports indicated that AEW was prepared to make a “substantial offer” to Styles, with a schedule designed to minimize time away from his family [Source: Reddit – SquaredCircle]. However, Styles’ decision appears to be firmly rooted in his personal desire to transition into a developmental role within WWE [Source: Cageside Seats].
According to Wikipedia, Allen Neal Jones, known professionally as AJ Styles, debuted in 1998 and has had successful tenures in WWE, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Ring of Honor (ROH).