A.J. Styles named to the WWE Hall of Fame

A.J. Styles has been named to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Last night, on Monday Night Raw, the show emanated from Atlanta, Georgia, Styles’ home state, and was centered on Styles, who retired after his loss to Gunther at the Royal Rumble last month.  Following a speech and congratulations from his peers, the Undertaker made a surprise appearance and informed Styles that he would be part of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame Class. 

Styles began his career in 1998 and made it to WCW in 2001, though that promotion was only weeks away from ending.  With the formation of TNA the year after, Styles became one of its pillars, winnning everyone of its titles multiple times.  Despite his success and popularity, he was asked to take a near-60% pay cut on a new deal, which led him to Japan, where he won the coveted IWGP World Title twice.  Nearing 40, it looked like he would never make it to the WWE, but that changed when he debuted as a surprise entrant in the 2016 Royal Rumble, and that is where he would stay for the next ten years.

In the WWE, Styles excelled both as a heel and a babyface, and he won two WWE Championships, three United States Titles, an Intercontinental Title, and two WWE World Tag Team Titles while main eventing multiple Premium Live Events.  Often, it was Styles who had the best match of the night, and he goes down in history as one of the best professional wrestlers ever.

Styles was not on our Notinhalloffame WWE List of those to consider for the WWE Hall of Fame, as he was still active at the time of our last revision.

We here at Notinhalloffame would like to congratulate A.J. Styles for his impending accolade.