Summary

Finn Balor has opened up about AJ Styles' retirement, saying he fully expected Styles to wrestle well into the back half of 2026 before calling it a career. Speaking on Talk N Shop, Balor described the moment he learned Styles' Gunther match would actually be the final one, and offered high praise for how AJ maintained his standard right to the end.

The two men share a unique bond through the Bullet Club. Balor founded the faction in New Japan Pro-Wrestling before departing for WWE, and Styles stepped in to lead it afterward. Their paths rarely crossed in WWE, but Balor was around for all of AJ's decade-long run with the company, including his retirement ceremony earlier this year.

Quote from Finn Balor

"I feel like AJ was this ever-present benchmark of what it was to be great. He never slowed down. He never looked out of shape or winded, even the longer he got into his career. His last matches, you'd think you'd see cracks in the paint, but there was none. AJ told me he was thinking about reining in 2026, and in my brain, I was like, 'That's Survivor Series.' I think we were walking out of a Raw taping in Germany, two weeks before his actual retirement, we're walking onto the bus and I go, 'You're working Gunther soon?' 'Yeah, I think this might be the lost one.' I was like, 'For real?' 'Yeah.' 'Whoa. Holy cow.' I was blown away. I'm super happy for him, to be able to step away with his general health. No major injuries, so to speak. He's a little banged up, like we all are, but to step away on his terms and be with his family is a beautiful thing. I wish him the best."

The Retirement and What Came Before

Styles retired after losing to Gunther. When AJ first mentioned 2026 as a possible endpoint, Balor assumed the timeline stretched to Survivor Series at the very earliest. The actual retirement came much sooner, confirmed to Balor in an offhand exchange on a bus in Germany just two weeks out from the match. The surprise was genuine.

Balor's account underlines something Styles' career made obvious over time: there were no visible signs of decline. The physical consistency Balor describes, still sharp, still looking the part deep into his late 40s, holds up against any honest viewing of Styles' final run.

Balor at WrestleMania 42

Balor is now headed toward his own high-profile moment. He is set to face Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42, a match that has been building with Balor trading barbs with Dominik in the weeks leading up to the show.

What Balor's Tribute Means for AJ Styles' Legacy

Styles left on his terms, with no major injuries and a final match on one of WWE's biggest stages. That kind of exit is rare, and Balor knowing Styles personally makes the tribute land differently than a prepared official statement. The Bullet Club thread gives it weight: the man who built the faction passing judgment on the man who carried it, and finding nothing to criticize.

For Styles, the legacy is already written. Balor just added a small, honest footnote.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.