At WWE Royal Rumble 2026, GUNTHER retired AJ Styles, ending his career in the company.
After the match, Styles looked like he was about to leave his gloves in the ring, but he decided not to do this, which led to many fans believing “The Phenomenal One” will wrestle again.
With those fans believing there is a chance for the former WWE Champion to arrive in All Elite Wrestling, it would open the door for an exciting debut and some tantalizing dream matches for Styles if he were to sign with Tony Khan’s promotion.
Here are ten potential AJ Styles AEW debut opponents after WWE retirement.
10. Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Fletcher has become the star known as the future of All Elite Wrestling and a bonafide main eventer in the making.
Winning the TNT Championship and standing toe-to-toe with the top talent in the company, Fletcher has proven himself to be one of the best wrestlers in the world today.
“The Protostar” has every skill available to him to be a formidable opponent for someone the caliber of AJ Styles.
In a battle of the present vs. the future, Fletcher feels like someone who would truly test Styles to see if he still has it as he prepares for his official retirement from in-ring competition.
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9. Konosuke Takeshita
Another AEW star who has been mentioned as one of the future top stars of the promotion has been Konosuke Takeshita.
The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has been a success in every company he has stepped foot in and someone who has beaten top stars, such as Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley in the past.
While he is currently embroiled in Don Callis Family drama with Kazuchika Okada, Takeshita could be the perfect debut opponent for someone like AJ Styles.
With his experience against former peers of “The Phenomenal One,” Takeshita could deliver a match of the year candidate against Styles and start his AEW run on the right foot instantly.
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8. Kazuchika Okada
Speaking of Konosuke Takeshita, he has been at odds in the Don Callis Family with his stablemate Kazuchika Okada for months.
“The Rainmaker” is someone who is no stranger to AJ Styles, having feuded with “The Phenomenal One” during his memorable run in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The last time Okada went one-on-one with Styles, he beat the former WWE star at NJPW Dominion 2016 to start a record-breaking 720-day reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
Now more than 10 years since that last meeting, a bout against Okada would be an electrifying way for Styles to kickstart an AEW run.
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7. Bandido
There might not be any other wrestler in the world today as sensational as Bandido right now.
The current ROH World Champion has put on some of the most spectacular in-ring encounters of the past year in Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling.
AJ Styles coming to AEW would be for him to test himself against the best in the world and should see him collide with Bandido if that is the case.
Styles and Bandido have what it takes to deliver one of the most extraordinary bouts that has ever been seen in an AEW ring and would be a great way to introduce “The Phenomenal One” to the company.
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6. “Hangman” Adam Page
When looking at the AEW roster, “Hangman” Adam Page has to be viewed as one of the biggest and most popular stars in the promotion.
The former two-time AEW World Champion has fought and struggled to become the main character and standard bearer for the company.
While both men have history in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Page has never faced AJ Styles in his career thus far.
Wanting to give Styles a proper introduction against one of the best on the roster, Page would feel like a more than suitable opponent for “The Phenomenal One” to collide with in his debut.
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5. Kenny Omega
Back in 2016, AJ Styles made the decision to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling and sign with WWE.
Before leaving, Styles was betrayed by Kenny Omega, who usurped him as the leader of Bullet Club and started what would go on to become the most successful run for the legendary faction.
Starting The Elite with The Young Bucks, Omega built his legacy to new heights on the ashes of Styles. While both men have gone on to craft iconic careers in their own rights, it has always felt like unfinished business between Omega and Styles.
Upon arriving in All Elite Wrestling, it feels like Styles has to go one-on-one with Omega and see who the better man is once and for all.
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4. Swerve Strickland
Over the past few years, Swerve Strickland has more than established himself as one of the top stars of All Elite Wrestling.
The former AEW World Champion has fought with every fiber in his being to prove himself among the best the industry has had to offer.
If AJ Styles walks into AEW, Strickland will see him as a threat like he has every other top star in the company.
With his reputation as “The Most Dangerous Man” in the company, it makes a lot of sense if Swerve were the first to step up to challenge Styles in his debut match for the promotion.
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3. Samoa Joe
There is no one on the current AEW roster who has the history and connection with AJ Styles that Samoa Joe has.
The former two-time AEW World Champion has reinvigorated his career with his run in the company and showcased that he still has a lot left in the tank.
With AJ Styles possibly coming to AEW to close out his career, it feels like he has to go one-on-one with Samoa Joe one last time.
Knowing their history with one another, Joe and Styles could deliver a wonderful callback to their many TNA Wrestling battles of the past in his potential debut.
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2. MJF
AJ Styles has a Hall of Fame career even before he potentially signs with All Elite Wrestling and is worthy of any opportunity he may be given.
If Tony Khan wants to immediately thrust the legend into the spotlight, there might not be a better way to do that than having him challenge for the AEW World Title.
That championship is currently held by Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF.
With his own history battling Styles’ peers in CM Punk, Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson, MJF feels like someone who will be chomping at the bit to add “The Phenomenal One” to his list of legends he has vanquished in his own career.
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1. Will Ospreay
No one on the entire AEW roster has been more influenced and inspired by AJ Styles’ career more than Will Ospreay.
Regarded as one of the all-time greats by him on several occasions, Ospreay should be at the front of the line of AEW stars who will want to step into the ring with “The Phenomenal One.”
With it being more than a decade since they faced each other for the first and only time to date, Ospreay would want to show Styles just how much he has grown and learned in his own illustrious career.
Knowing the parallels to each other’s careers that these two have had, Styles and Ospreay have the potential to deliver not just the match of the year, but one of the greatest bouts in AEW history.
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