In the final months of in-ring career, AJ Styles faced a number of familiar foes, such as CM Punk, John Cena, and Shinsuke Nakamura. He also tackled some fresher faces like Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, and “The Ring General” GUNTHER, the latter of whom stepped up to Styles in his retirement match at 2026 WWE Royal Rumble.
Along the way to his last performance, Styles would have liked to lock up with names outside of WWE as well.
“I think Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, Frankie Kazarian, those are my guys,” Styles said on “The Phenomenally Retro Podcast” when asked who he would have handpicked as his final five opponents. “I’d have a six-man [tag], of course, The Good Brothers in it against probably The Usos and Roman [Reigns]. That was freaking killer stuff that we did. Then I think we could throw in Kurt Angle. I’m sure I’m missing out on somebody like, ‘Oh, freak. I can’t believe I said that.’ But as far as WWE matches, Shinsuke, I’m glad that was one of my last matches. I’m glad John was one of my last matches. Those worked. Punk was thrown in there, too. We got a chance to do it in WWE. There’s definitely some matches that I’m glad were there. I wasn’t disappointed in my last run. I can say that.”
Styles’ history with Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, and Frankie Kazarian extends back more than 20 years, with all four bursting into the wrestling spotlight throughout the 2000s and 2010s. At one point, all four worked for TNA Wrestling. Kazarian formally returned to TNA in 2023; Daniels and Joe, meanwhile, are signed to All Elite Wrestling in the present day.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Phenomenally Retro Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Read the full article here
