AJ Styles is still figuring out exactly where he fits best in WWE now that his in-ring career is over, but he is already making contributions on multiple fronts.
Speaking with WWE Now during WrestleMania weekend, the newly inducted Hall of Famer revealed he is currently involved in recruiting and working with WWE’s ID program, which supports independent wrestlers, though he acknowledged the role is still evolving.
“I’m wearing a couple of different hats right now and we’ll see which one sticks. And things change quite often. So when I get too busy to do all these different hats that I’m trying to wear and I have to focus on one, I’ll let you know which one that is. But it is recruiting, it is working with WWE ID. That’s a big part of the things that I know a lot about, the independents. And I know there’s a lot of talent like me who didn’t have a lot of money. So if we can get them a little bit more experience, a little bit more cash in the pockets, they’re able to get that, it’ll be a big thing for them,” Styles said.
The recruiting role is one Styles landed on after a period of exploration within WWE’s structure. He initially sat in on creative and production meetings following his retirement at the Royal Rumble, but that path did not end up being the right fit for him.
Styles retired from in-ring competition at the 2026 Royal Rumble after 28 years in the business and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame last Friday as part of the Class of 2026. He told WWE Now that while he loved wrestling, he does not miss the physical toll it took on his body and is genuinely happy to shift his focus toward helping shape the next generation of talent rather than continuing to put himself through the grind of competing.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit WWE Now with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
