AJ Styles is preparing to hang up his boots in 2026, and WWE reportedly plans to make sure his farewell is one for the ages.

According to Lucha Libre Online, WWE is already setting the stage for a full retirement tour celebrating The Phenomenal One’s incredible career. The company intends to give Styles the send-off he deserves, marking his final year in the ring with major moments that honor his legacy.

“WWE is expected to hold a sort of ‘retirement tour’ for AJ Styles in 2026. This will be the Phenomenal One’s last year as an active competitor in the ring. It’s beautiful to see that WWE is giving him the opportunity to say goodbye on his own terms and conditions 👏👏👏”

This follows Styles’ emotional announcement during the WWE Crown Jewel kickoff show, where he spoke openly about aging, shifting priorities, and stepping away with pride.

“I’m getting old, folks. Listen, if I could find the fountain of youth and take a couple of sips, I’d wrestle for the rest of my life. But you know, I am getting older, and the fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer.”

He continued by explaining that after decades of competing at the highest level, his focus has shifted toward family and life beyond wrestling.

“There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to take care of business, but when business is done, it’s time to take care of his family. I need to spend time with my family. The whole idea of wrestling and having an amazing future in this business is to be able to retire one day, and in 2026, I will retire.”

WWE appears to be fully behind Styles’ decision. Dave Meltzer revealed on Wrestling Observer Radio that the company has begun internal talks about how to handle his farewell season.

“There is a plan in play for how to handle AJ Styles’ retirement in 2026.” While Meltzer noted that no final structure is confirmed yet, he said, “It’s not fully locked in or anything, but the idea is, ‘We’re gonna do something.’” He added that WWE expects 2026 to be Styles’ final year, saying, “So yeah, they believe he’s retiring next year.”

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