AJ Styles has had a full circle WWE career, originally making his debut in the main event of Royal Rumble 2016 as the third entrant ahead of him. The final WWE match took place ten years later at the 2026 Royal Rumble against Gunther. during the interviewWWE Vault,” the wrestler took some time to look back on the two events.
Styles noted that he found out he would be making his debut at the 2016 Rumble a week ahead of time. Going into the event, he was worried that no one would know who he was. “The fans made it special for me. I mean the reaction they gave to AJ Styles was like. there’s no comparison,” he recalls. Styles also said he wished he’d had a livelier reaction to his debut and tried to hold back tears. “When the action started between Roman (Reigns) and myself, everything was fine.”
That night ended for him when he was eliminated from the Rumble by Kevin Owens, but it ended up being the start of a decade in WWE Styles.
AJ Styles Says Gunther Is “The Perfect Heel”
Stiles further leaned into his WWE’s last fight against Gunther, and his decision to end his in-ring career at the same event where he made his debut. “This is where I started. I didn’t care where it was, it’s still the Royal Rumble no matter where it is,” he recalled, referring to the fact that the show took place in Saudi Arabia.
Afterward, Styles said it was hard to go into the match knowing it was his last and that he felt weird for a moment. “I know you’re like. “What’s weird?” Second guessing everything. Everything you do, you’re like, oh my god, and your brain is going a thousand miles an hour.”
Styles then praised GUNTER, describing him as “the perfect heel.” He then explained why he thought about leaving the gloves in the ring before putting them back on, which Styles acknowledged as confusing to some people. “I knew that WWE was going to be in Atlanta three weeks from now, it would be a good opportunity for me to throw down my gloves then, so that’s it,” he explained.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit WWE Vault and ah/t Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
