AJ Styles is planning for the future, but where will that be?
Styles has been on record as saying 2026 would be his last year as a professional wrestler. Fans have been preparing for his retirement for several months, but a recent comment by the “Phenomenal One” has led to speculation that he might extend his in-ring tenure.
AJ Styles agreed to put his career on the line against “The Ring General” Gunther at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. However, Styles raised some eyebrows on this week’s episode of RAW when he specifically said Gunther was trying to end his WWE career.
Fans pointed out that Styles didn’t say his wrestling career was over, leading to speculation that he plans to wrestle outside of WWE before retiring. Styles has previously cited interest in wrestling in a TNA ring one more time, and fans believe AEW or New Japan could be another option.
While that remains a topic of speculation, what is true is that Styles recently applied for two trademarks. Styles applied to trademark “The Phenomenal AJ Styles” and “P1,” the latter of which is his logo.
Styles has used the “Phenomenal” nickname since at least 2001. Records also state that he has used the P1 logo since at least 2012, both showing that he used the names and logo before his WWE debut in 2016.
Eagle-eyed fans will also notice that the trademark application was filed by Michael Dockins, aka the “Gimmick Attorney,” who has helped a number of AEW stars secure trademarks in recent years. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Styles is going to AEW, but it could be a sign that he does have plans to continue wrestling after the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.
Read More: WWE Star Weighs In On AJ Styles’ Retirement: We Never Saw A Diminished Version Of Him
