Backstage Update on AJ Styles’ WWE & Wrestling Career Status After Royal Rumble 2026

As noted before, this past Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2026 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia featured Gunther defeating AJ Styles in a Career Threatening match. This match was notable for Styles’ putting his in-ring wrestling career on the line and would have to retire if he lost as per match stipulation.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that while Styles’ contract was set to expire this month, they have not been able to confirm anything regarding a potential extension from their sources.

Those spoken to reportedly stated that Styles’ situation and wrestling career future was a “major point of conversation” backstage at last Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show. It was reported that they had not heard about AEW making an offer to Styles as of Tuesday.

In regards to the possibility of Styles returning to TNA Wrestling, those spoken to within WWE stated that if Styles wanted to work in TNA, he could have done so while under a WWE contract. One TNA source spoken to reportedly stated that they believed Styles had extended his WWE contract before this past Saturday’s Royal Rumble 2026 event but this is still yet to be confirmed.

It was reported that NJPW officials were also interested on potentially using Styles while currently in the middle of losing several talent.

One source within WWE familiar with Styles’ situation reportedly stated that despite what happens in the future, they claimed that Styles “very much” had his way when it came to his WWE retirement. Another source spoken to reportedly stated that while WWE would happily extend its time with Styles, he had made his stance on his retirement clear with the company.