AJ Styles has been talking openly about retiring soon in interviews outside the ring. Now, it’s become a storyline in the ring too, as he has been teasing as much after SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis made clear to him that he was going to have to go to the back of the line to earn another shot at Cody Rhodes and the WWE championship. On Friday Night SmackDown this week, the tease turned into an angle.
He said he doesn’t have it in him to go to the back of the line at this point in his career and his life. He realized that he’s missed a lot of moments with his kids throughout two decades of wrestling, and maybe it’s time to be a “Phenomenal” dad.
Styles was emotional talking through all this, finally hugging the Good Brothers, who he asked to be out there with him, and giving them one final Too Sweet.
Then, he called out Rhodes to say “this is still the house that AJ Styles built, and I called you out here to hand you the keys.”
Rhodes himself got emotional at this, revealing a story about a text exchange between the two after their Backlash match and giving him a heartfelt “thank you.” A big hug ensued and then AJ waved to the crowd one final goodbye. Cody raised his arm in triumph to each side of the ring.
Finally, the moment.
Styles laid him out with a clothesline, then beat him down and ended the show with a Styles Clash off the steps and onto the floor on the outside below.
That’s one way to get a title shot!
Get complete SmackDown results and coverage of this week’s entire show right here.