AJ Styles Loses Career Threatening Match at WWE Royal Rumble 2026

Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2026 event at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia featured Gunther defeating AJ Styles in a Career Threatening match. This match featured the stipulation of if Styles lost, then he must retire from wrestling.

The Career Killer strikes again… 😳 pic.twitter.com/b7I06gUB1l

— WWE (@WWE) January 31, 2026

Following the match, an emotional Styles regained consciousness after Gunther had won with a Sleeper Hold and realized what happened, a tearful Styles proceeded to take off his gloves and was about to place them in the middle of the ring to symbolize his retirement from his in-ring career. Styles then had a change of mind and put his gloves back on and posed in the ring to a roaring ovation from the crowd. Styles then left the ring and started to walk to the back only to stop and got back into the ring for one last time and posed in the corner.

THANK YOU, AJ!!! 👏@AJStylesOrg pic.twitter.com/JibMHGF8Jv

— WWE (@WWE) January 31, 2026