AJ Styles Says WrestleMania “Lost Its Luster” as He Explains Why He Retired at Royal Rumble

TLDR

AJ Styles retired from wrestling after losing to Gunther at the Royal Rumble, putting his career on the line in a match that took place exactly 10 years after his WWE debut at the same event. Styles explained on Raw Recap that he chose to retire at the Royal Rumble rather than wait for WrestleMania because the Rumble was more meaningful to him as the place where he started, and he feels WrestleMania has "lost its luster" compared to its former prestige. Following his retirement, The Undertaker announced that Styles will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026 alongside Stephanie McMahon.