CM Punk shares heartfelt moment with AJ Styles after WWE Raw
After WWE Raw went off the air last night, CM Punk and AJ Styles shared a heartfelt moment in front of the Toronto fans.
A World Heavyweight Championship match between Punk and Styles headlined Monday night’s show, ending in a disqualification when Finn Balor interrupted. It was Punk and Styles’ first time facing each other in a one-on-one match in more than two decades. Though they’ve had their issues in the past, the two have gotten over that and have developed a mutual respect for each other.
Punk and Styles spoke to the crowd after Monday’s broadcast ended, and Punk expressed appreciation for his former rival as Styles approaches what could be his final weekend as an active wrestler.
full punk and aj speech for yall lol it’s long! pic.twitter.com/p1KUr6J0b3
— lex 🧸 (@harryxgoldens) January 27, 2026
“Look, I don’t know what happens in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when AJ Styles takes on Gunther. I just know that I’m going to be glued to the monitor watching just like all of you,” Punk said. “And I mean this when I say it. AJ, I whispered it to you earlier, I don’t care who knows it publicly — it has been a privilege to know you. It’s a privilege to call you a friend. It’s an honor to be in the ring with you. I speak as a fan, I hope Saturday’s not it. But if it is, man, what a hell of a career. I love you, brother. Thank you.”
Styles has confirmed that he will retire at some point in 2026. His final match could happen at the Royal Rumble this Saturday, with Styles agreeing to put his career on the line against Gunther at the PLE.
With the result of last night’s match, Punk heads into Royal Rumble weekend still holding the World Heavyweight Championship. The men’s Rumble match could potentially determine his WrestleMania 42 challenger.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.