WWE Backstage Reaction To AJ Styles Retirement Match

WWE

The backstage reaction to the final match in AJ Styles’ WWE career has been revealed, along with how the star handled the aftermath.

AJ Styles retired as an in-ring competitor at this year’s WWE Royal Rumble, losing to GUNTHER, and has recently revealed the decision behind the choice of opponent wasn’t of his making.

With the match bringing to an end a twenty-eight year in-ring career, Styles recently opened up about the backstage reaction during an appearance on Insight With Chris Van Vliet.

Styles would initially reveal the reaction as he came back through the curtain at the Riyadh Season Stadium in Saudi Arabia, saying:

“It got emotional, because when I went back in Gorilla, it seemed like most of our roster was there waiting on me.

“Abyss pulls me in like a big brother, the way he pulled me in, and everybody’s just kind of there hugging me, and stuff like that. It was shortly after that when I was done hugging everybody, freaking really hit me. I knew it was about to happen, so I had to get away from everybody, and I tried.”

The WWE Hall of Famer would recount how he tried to separate himself by using a storage room, only to discover the door wouldn’t close, with the star sharing an insight into his emotions, explaining:

“They had a locker room away from everybody else that I’d found that they were storing luggage in, so I was like, I’ll just change it here. It’s quiet, it’s cold, it’s nice. So I was changing there all by myself with the luggage. I kind of got back there. I ran in there, and I thought I closed the door behind me, but apparently it didn’t. It just bounced right wide open.

“I had to stand there for a second and just gather my thoughts and shed a couple tears, because AJ Styles is no longer wrestling again. That was tough, but it was okay.

“I just needed Shane Helms being the first one to come in there, and he knew what was up. I think he’s been through that somewhat before, kind of gave me a hug. I just needed to get that out, and I needed that hug from Shane, and that was okay. It was emotional. I don’t know how to explain it any more than that.”

GUNTHER would go on to compete in the men’s Royal Rumble match later that evening, a decision that left Styles somewhat baffled, revealing the conversation he had with Triple H during the interview.

Kindred Spirits

AJ Styles sharing the importance of Shane Helms’ embrace after receiving similar responses from others backstage, including his former fellow TNA Wrestling roster member, Abyss, indicates what the WWE star needed in that moment, a kindred spirit.

Helms never officially retired, and last competed in the men’s Royal Rumble back in 2021, but there was clearly something in their respective careers that Styles recognized and needed in that moment. By contrast, Abyss would retire shortly after his final match in AAA back in 2022.

For Styles, it does suggest that, while he appreciated what Abyss did for him, the mass of other stars who wanted to share their love was overwhelming and taking that moment, separating himself and allowing the emotion to manifest as it did was an important step post-match.

Fellow stars, agents, producers and executives were always going to want to celebrate the career of AJ Styles, as they would any star who retires, yet sometimes the mass of faces can be overwhelming when what is really needed is a moment to take it all in.

The storage space may not have given Styles the divide that he needed, but it did give Shane Helms a chance to be there, just when it was needed most.

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• wwe
• Backstage
• Royal Rumble
• AJ Styles

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