Finn Balor was ‘blown away’ by AJ Styles’ retirement decision
Former Universal Champion Finn Balor has revealed his “blown away” reaction to AJ Styles’ retirement news from last year.
Earlier this year at Royal Rumble 2026, Styles retired from pro-wrestling after losing to Gunther. Speaking on Talk’n Shop Live, Balor opened up and revealed his initial reaction to Styles’ retirement decision.
“AJ [Styles] had told me he was thinking about retiring in 2026. And in my brain, that was like, ‘Oh, okay. That’s Survivor Series.’ And then I think we’re walking out of a RAW taping in Germany two weeks before his actual retirement, and we’re walking out onto the bus,” Balor shared. “I said, ‘You’re working Gunther soon?’ He goes, ‘Yes. Think it might be the last one.’ I was like, ‘For real?’ He goes, ‘Yeah.’ Whoa. Holy cow. I was blown away.
“I must say I’m super happy for him to be able to step away with his general health. No major injuries so to speak. I know he’s a little banged up, like we all are, but to step away on his terms and be with his family, that’s such a beautiful thing. I wish him the best, and I’m sure I’ll be seeing him pretty soon.”
Styles, now retired from in-ring action, currently works as a talent scout for WWE, while Balor is scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
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