AJ Styles reportedly knew there was serious outside interest in him before officially closing the chapter on his in ring career.

Following confirmation that Styles will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this April, any immediate speculation about a move elsewhere appears to be off the table. However, a new report indicates that All Elite Wrestling was prepared to make a significant play for the former WWE Champion had he decided to continue wrestling outside of WWE.

According to Justin Barrasso of Undisputed, people close to Styles shared that he was fully aware AEW would have presented him with a substantial financial offer, along with a lighter schedule designed to keep him closer to home.

“For as much as WWE claims to be blissfully unaware of what is happening in AEW, that isn’t the case,” Barrasso wrote. “With Styles getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, it severely limits any potential AEW owner Tony Khan had of bringing Styles in for a surprise appearance at the Revolution pay-per-view in March. For AEW, their post-WrestleMania show is Double or Nothing in May and even that feels too soon for Styles to appear.

“That isn’t to imply Styles was looking to wrestle again. He meant what he said about spending time at home with family. But speaking to a few people close to him, Styles was well aware that AEW was willing to make a substantial offer. And it was likely going to be one that wouldn’t cost him much time away from home.”

Styles officially retired after falling to Gunther at Royal Rumble 2026, bringing an end to a decorated run under the WWE banner. On Raw in his hometown of Atlanta, the company honored him with a special tribute that featured Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Frankie Kazarian, and Abyss. The emotional segment closed with The Undertaker announcing that Styles will take his place in the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 42 weekend.

While the door may have been open elsewhere, it now appears that Styles is content stepping away on his own terms, with a Hall of Fame induction cementing his legacy in WWE history.

Even with his WWE Hall of Fame induction now confirmed, questions about AJ Styles’ long term future are unlikely to fade anytime soon. Until he either appears elsewhere or formally signs a new agreement with WWE tied to a post in ring role, speculation will continue about what comes next.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque has previously made it clear that he would welcome Styles remaining with WWE in a backstage capacity. Whether that means mentoring talent at the Performance Center or contributing creatively behind the scenes, the door appears open for the former champion to stay involved with the company in some form.

At the same time, Styles has not entirely ruled out the possibility of lacing up his boots again under the right circumstances. Speaking on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, he noted that he believes every wrestler feels they have one comeback in them if the situation is compelling enough. One idea that could tempt him, he admitted, would be sharing the ring with one of his children should they decide to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

For now, Styles is officially retired and set for Hall of Fame recognition, but as history has shown in this industry, the word retirement does not always mean forever.

↯ Explore WNS ↯

Join the conversation inside our WNS Discord community and connect with fellow fans.

Have your say on this story using our interactive rating system below , Vote Now 🗳️

:: NEW ::
Discover the WNS Data Center featuring Fan Sentiment, Top Tags, Trending Articles, TV Ratings Pulse and more.