Add as a preferred source on Google AJ Styles won world championships, became a Grand Slam Champion, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Even so, the Phenomenal One revealed that he could never shake the fear of being released by WWE.
During a recent episode of The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, while discussing Sheamus’s situation, Styles admitted that being released would have felt to him like a sign that he wasn’t good enough to stay with the company.
“My biggest fear was that I would be asked, well, I would be released in some way. Other people think, ‘You’re AJ Styles. Why would you even think that way?’ Because I don’t see myself the way that you see me, and so that was always my biggest fear is they would release me. For me, I’d be very embarrassed. That being like, ‘Oh, he’s not good enough at his job, so, eh. He’s worth losing.’ I was always worried about that. Even as good as the career went, there was the time where I wasn’t doing much at all with anything.”
That insecurity followed Styles despite all the success he achieved. His run lasted more than a decade, beginning at the 2016 Royal Rumble and ending at the same event on Jan. 31, 2026, when Gunther defeated him in a match with his career on the line.
Over that span, Styles won the WWE Championship twice, the United States Championship three times, held the Intercontinental Championship, and captured two tag team championships. His second world title reign lasted 371 days and helped establish him as the top star on SmackDown following the brand split’s return.
Shortly after retiring, Styles was honored on Raw and announced for the WWE Hall of Fame. The induction took place on April 17, 2026, with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows on hand to induct him.
Styles remains with WWE, now working in talent identification and development.