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2025 will go down in WWE history as the year of John Cena, as he brings the curtain down on his iconic in-ring career. It seems like the year 2026 will belong to one of his biggest frenemies, and his name is AJ Styles.
Michael Cole confirmed the future of The Phenomenal One after his clinical performance at WWE Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia.
AJ Styles and John Cena wrestled each other in another instant classic last night. Despite being well past their prime, the two men surpassed expectations and delivered a match for the ages.
From Bray Wyatt to The Undertaker, the two rivals paid homage to some of their greatest rivals by borrowing their finishers during the match. Cena prevailed in the end, marking his 100th premium live event win.
After the match, Cena and Styles showed true sportsmanship and raised each other's hands.
As The Phenomenal One left the ring, Michael Cole said on commentary that the 48-year-old RAW star will indeed hang up his boots next year.
"Enjoy it while you can, ladies and gentlemen, because next year will be the final year in the career of that man - AJ Styles," Cole said.AJ Styles reveals reason for retiring from WWE
During the Crown Jewel: Perth Kickoff, AJ Styles was asked by Michael Cole about his recent comments on potentially retiring from the WWE in-ring competition in 2026.
The former Bullet Club leader said he was getting older and that he didn't want to overstay his welcome.
He also said he wants to spend more time with his family, which is why he has decided to retire next year.
“I’m getting old, folks. Listen, if I could find the Fountain of Youth and take a couple of sips, I would wrestle for the rest of my life. But, you know, I am getting older. The fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer. And you know what? There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to, you know, 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 with wrestling and having an amazing future in this business is to be able to retire one day. And in 2026, I will retire."Styles has been in the business since 1998 and deserves to go out with his head held high. Will he get a farewell tour like Cena? Only time will tell.
If you use quotes from this article, please credit WWE and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
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Edited by Sidharth Sachdeva
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