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Welcome to the English version of Solowrestling Read more
WWE is celebrating a new episode of Monday Night Raw tonight, this time number 1,709, from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be the last show of the red brand before Elimination Chamber and will be broadcast live on Netflix. Solowrestling will bring you the results in this news as every week.
Tonight's episode will feature several matches and segments of interest, highlighting the last two qualifying matches for the PLE in Chicago. In addition, Liv Morgan will choose her opponent for WrestleMania and Brock Lesnar will make his first on-screen appearance since the Royal Rumble. Finally, AJ Styles' career will be honored after his apparent retirement as a professional wrestler. As always, we invite you to comment on the article to give your opinion on what happened in the show.
WWE Raw on Netflix begins!
Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcome us from the center of the ring to remind us that tonight they celebrate AJ Styles' career. Gunther interrupts the commentators from the stands. "I know you're trying to do your best, but that's not enough for me. So out of my ring. Sit behind that table and tell this audience how great I am," says the Austrian. Cole and Graves leave the ring to make way for "The Ring General." The fans greet them with chants of "You surrendered!"
Gunther regrets that tonight a loser's career is being celebrated, but he understands it because the fans can identify with him as losers themselves. "The Ring General" points out that the audience loves to honor losers like Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. "And what do they all have in common? I killed their careers," he says. "So what should really happen here tonight is a celebration in honor of a truly great wrestler: ME," he adds.
A furious Adam Pearce bursts onto the scene. The General Manager is not willing to let "The Ring General" do as he pleases, making it clear that AJ Styles' career will be celebrated tonight. And, since he knew what was going to happen, he has taken steps to prevent it. We see several security members positioning themselves next to Pearce. He orders Gunther to leave the ring and the venue peacefully, or security will have to take care of it. "Adam, I will leave. But not because you tell me to, but because I decide to leave this venue, because it dishonors me to see what is happening here tonight," says the Austrian.
"The Ring General" heads backstage escorted by security. Suddenly, Gunther stops. The Austrian turns around to raise his arms, provoking the fans. A furious Dragon Lee appears out of nowhere to launch himself at Gunther, who can barely contain the anger of the masked man. Security manages to separate them, but only for a short time, as Lee launches himself at the European again backstage. Finally, the security members manage to take the masked man away. Meanwhile, Gunther stands up. "Are you happy!? This is not your night!," Adam yells. At that moment, Cody Rhodes appears on the scene. "The American Nightmare" looks at Gunther. After that, he pats the General Manager on the arm. Without saying a word, Rhodes heads to the ring, where he is greeted with a great ovation.
"The American Nightmare" takes a microphone. The audience chants the name of the former Undisputed WWE Champion. "Well, Atlanta, I know what you want to talk about. I know why we're here. For the one and only The Phenomenal AJ Styles! Wrestling royalty, no doubt," he says. However...
The Vision interrupts the segment
Paul Heyman tries to speak, but is quickly silenced by the boos from the fans. Austin Theory scolds them for disrespecting Heyman and, by extension, his faction. Theory is embarrassed to be a native of Atlanta. Logan Paul takes the floor to point out that there is someone who is not embarrassed: Cody Rhodes. But he understands, because like the inhabitants of this city, Cody has zero common sense. And that, both he and the other participants in Elimination Chamber, including LA Knight, will become victims of Bronson Reed once they are all inside the Chamber. Logan points out that it all starts here and now when the Australian wins his qualifying match. "I don't know, I don't know. I'm pretty sure there's someone here who wouldn't agree with that," says Cody.
UUUUUSSSSOOO!
The Usos make their entrance from the upper part of the stands. The World Tag Team Champions head to the ring, where they join Rhodes. The three men stand in the center of the ring while The Vision members wait on the apron.
Jey and Jimmy yeet with the fans during the subsequent commercial break on Netflix.
Triple Threat Qualifying Match for Elimination Chamber
Bronson Reed vs. Jey Uso vs. Original El Grande Americano
Jey and Original El Grande Americano join forces to attack Reed, but he quickly knocks them down with a double clothesline. Bronson crushes Original El Grande Americano in one of the corners, only to receive several kicks from Jey. Reed ends up at ringside. Uso tries to execute a suicide dive, but Bronson stops him with a right hand. Reed continues to hit Jey at ringside, a moment that Original El Grande Americano takes advantage of to launch himself over both with a moonsault.
Original El Grande Americano joins forces with Jey again. Both throw Reed against one of the posts. Original El Grande Americano and Uso return to the ring to start their own fight. The masked man traps the Samoan in a wristlock. Original El Grande Americano punishes Jey's left arm before kicking Reed, preventing him from returning to the ring.
Original El Grande Americano takes Uso to one of the corners to deliver several chops. Original El Grande Americano focuses his punishment again on Jey's left arm. The masked man kicks the Samoan's limb in the ropes before executing a spinning heel kick on Bronson, once again preventing him from returning to the ring. Uso recovers to unleash a flurry of attacks on Original El Grande Americano in one of the corners.
Bronson returns to surprise his two opponents, whom he carries on his shoulders. Reed performs a double samoan drop on his rivals! The Australian continues to punish Uso, on whom he applies an elbow drop. 1..2..NO. Reed punishes Jey with the help of the ropes. Bronson kicks Original El Grande Americano to prevent him from returning to the ring. After that, he catches Jey in a painful submission hold. Jey breaks free to unleash a flurry of punches. Reed responds with a bodyslam.
Original El Grande Americano returns to surprise Bronson. Original El Grande Americano performs a bulldog on Bronson while falling on Jey with a senton. The masked man covers the Samoan. 1..2..NO. Original El Grande Americano performs a german suplex on Uso, followed by a diving headbutt. 1..2..NO. Reed interrupts the count, injuring an arm in the process. Original El Grande Americano performs a german suplex hold on Bronson. 1..2..NO. The three men are left lying on the mat.
Reed rolls to ringside, where he is attended to by the referee. Meanwhile, Original El Grande Americano and Jey catch their breath. The official asks them to wait. "Yes, yes, yes!" exclaims Original El Grande Americano. "YEET," replies Uso. Both go on the attack again. Original El Grande Americano corners the Samoan in one of the corners, where he kicks him. Jey gets off the ring. Original El Grande Americano doesn't take long to go after him, but the Samoan surprises him.
Jey performs a suicide dive on Original El Grande Americano. The action returns to the ring. Original El Grande Americano hits the ropes to avoid Jey's next attack. Both exchange attacks on the top corner. Jey knocks down his opponent to then perform a Uso Splash, but the masked man receives it with his knees.
Original El Grande Americano applies an Ankle Lock on the Samoan. He struggles desperately to reach the ropes. Failing to do so, he turns himself around to throw his opponent against the ropes. Jey and Original El Grande Americano exchange attacks. Uso surprises Original El Grande Americano with a spear. After that, he climbs one of the corners to perform a definitive Uso Splash. 1..2..3.
Winner: Jey Uso
A video of AJ Styles' debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble is shown. Then, we see Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode conversing backstage, ready for tonight's celebration.
CM Punk arrives at the venue aboard NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick's car.
Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio make their entrance. Dom takes a microphone while a visibly saddened Liv hugs him. Mysterio reminds the fans that they are in the presence of the greatest Intercontinental Champion, the AAA Megachampion, and the best Royal Rumble winner of all time. Tonight is the moment for Morgan to choose her opponent at WrestleMania, so she asks the two top female champions of WWE to make their entrance.
Stephanie Vaquer is the first to appear on the scene, followed by Jade Cargill.
Dom hands his microphone to Liv. "I know you've been patiently waiting for me to make a decision about my opponent at WrestleMania. And I'm ready. I've made up my mind. But first, I want to get something off my chest, if you don't mind," says Morgan. She approaches Stephanie to confess that she has thought a lot about everything the Chilean told her last week. Because she was right. Liv admits that she has had it easy in WWE, while Vaquer had to work hard for a decade to get where she is. "Now that I know your story, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for judging you. I'm very clear that you are the champion you are because of everything you've had to go through. But now I have to focus on my story. And with that said...", she says before turning to Cargill.
Liv approaches Jade with a smile on her face. However, suddenly, she turns around to hit Stephanie with the microphone! "The First" falls flat on the canvas. Morgan continues to attack the Chilean while "The Storm" calmly leaves the ring. The Chilean takes refuge in one of the corners, where Liv surprises her with a facebreaker. Stephanie stands up with the help of the ropes, only to receive the impact of an ObLIVion. Vaquer remains lying on the mat while her attacker poses on her with her belt. Morgan violently throws it over "The First" before heading back to backstage with Dominik.
Byron Saxton interviews Je'Von Evans backstage when singer Offset approaches them. Evans greets him warmly before asking him what he's doing on Raw. The rapper points out that he couldn't miss the tribute to AJ Styles, also confirming that his song "Bodies" will be the official song of Elimination Chamber. The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) and Grayson Waller burst onto the scene. Woods is upset that WWE is offering a tribute show in Atlanta for someone other than him. And now Offset comes to praise Evans before him? "As Atlanta's Favorite Son, I have to say I'm disgusted," says Xavier. Kofi points out that they have invited Offset to Raw many times, but he always responded with a no. "You know what they say: The New Day sucks," says the singer. Je'Von challenges The New Day to take these attacks to the ring because he will be delighted to face them. Woods points out that Evans feels very brave knowing that he can't fight with his injured arm. Kofi, on the other hand, believes that Je'Von is too confident because he has won three consecutive matches. However, he will show him that it's nothing special. That said, he challenges him to put on his combat gear because they will meet in the ring tonight. The heels leave to end this segment.
A tribute video to AJ Styles' career is shown, where several colleagues and personalities in the business thank him for his great trajectory and his impact on the business. Among them are Kurt Angle, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Xavier Woods, Sami Zayn, Tyson Kidd, Finn Bálor, Charlotte Flair, and R-Truth.
We see a video of AJ Styles' coronation as WWE Champion in 2017 on SmackDown. After that, we see Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga chatting with Michin backstage. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) then appear. Michin welcomes his former teammates with a big hug.
Maxxine Dupri vs. Nattie
Nattie charges against Maxxine as soon as the bell rings. Dupri recovers to respond with several kicks. The action quickly moves to ringside. Nattie throws Maxxine over the audience barrier, but fails to harm her opponent. She climbs the barrier to perform a diving crossbody. Nattie throws Maxxine against one of the posts. Dupri falls flat on the ground.
Maxxine remains motionless on the ground. The referee approaches her to check on her condition, but the former Intercontinental Champion does not respond. Nattie continues to attack her. The official immediately stops her, but the Canadian returns once more. The referee decides to stop the match to prevent further harm.
Winner by referee decision: Nattie
We move to The Judgment Day's "clubhouse." Liv Morgan boasts about her treacherous attack on Stephanie Vaquer while waiting for Raquel Rodriguez to secure an easy spot in Elimination Chamber later tonight. Meanwhile, Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh make amends. JD apologizes to his partner for what happened last week. JD thanks him for everything he has done for his career, saying he considers him a brother. That's why he wants him to be the World Heavyweight Champion. "JD, brothers fight. But we always make amends," says Bálor. He promises him that he will see him become a champion, but he needs to do it alone. McDonagh understands. Dominik Mysterio approaches the Irishmen to scold them for leaving him alone in his qualifying match last week, claiming that was the reason he lost. Now he has to defend the Intercontinental Championship against Penta. The match will take place next Monday, and he wants to know if his partners will be by his side. Finn reminds him that when both (Dom and JD) were injured, no one helped him. "Don't blame yourself. I stood firm. Maybe you should do that. It's time to take responsibility, Dominik. Grow up," says Finn before leaving. McDonagh promises Mysterio that he will talk to Bálor to convince him.
Cathy Kelley interviews Trick Williams on the entrance ramp. Cathy asks him if he has a strategy for Elimination Chamber. Before answering, Trick introduces himself to the fans. After that, he admits that he shouldn’t be here tonight, but someone told him that Atlanta has the best nuggets, so he had to come and check it out. That said, he describes himself as the "man who gets the job done." And that’s exactly what will happen on Saturday. Williams promises there will be no RKO outta nowhere, no "American Nightmares." Nobody will shout "YEAH." No. Elimination Chamber will be a night reserved for the biggest star of the moment, and the fans will chant only one thing: "Whoop that Trick."
We see Tyler Reddick, 2 Chainz, and Lil Yachty in the front row.
We head backstage, where Adam Pearce is talking with a WWE staff member. The Raw General Manager wonders why the mysterious box that cannot be opened until Saturday has returned to his brand. However, it no longer matters—if Nick Aldis can’t or won’t deal with this matter, the two of them will handle it. Pearce orders his employee to send the box to Chicago, where both GMs will be present for its opening. Rusev approaches Pearce to talk business. Adam informs him that he doesn’t have time right now, as he needs to meet with someone. "Wait, do you think there’s someone more important than me?" the Bulgarian asks. "Yes, there is," replies a voice. It’s Oba Femi, who steps up to Rusev. "You talk a lot for a rookie," says Rusev. "How about you make me shut up?" "The Ruler" fires back. The tension rises, but Pearce steps in between them. The General Manager asks them to leave this for later. "Look, guys. One thing at a time. Tonight is for AJ. Let’s leave this for later," says Adam. "For AJ," Rusev responds. Oba nods his head. Pearce thanks them for being reasonable. Rusev and the General Manager walk off to end the segment.
Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman make their entrance. Heyman takes the microphone to remind everyone that, despite being "The Oracle" and "The Wiseman," he is still "The Advocate" for Lesnar. That said, Paul gives us a brief history lesson, recalling that WrestleMania traditionally featured two main events. On one hand, there was the world championship match, and on the other, The Undertaker’s streak. And he doesn’t need to remind us that it was his client, Brock Lesnar, who ended that streak. That meant that spot on the grand stage was taken over by "The Beast." "Now, the only Deadman Walking in WWE is the one who walks down that entrance ramp to face Brock Lesnar. I know what you’re wondering: who will face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania?" Heyman asks. He points out that he doesn’t need to make a prediction—or even a spoiler—to guarantee that any man on the roster who faces "The Beast" will receive a beating of biblical proportions at WrestleMania. With that said, Heyman displays Lesnar’s Raw appearance schedule from now until the grand event on the screen. A total of five dates in which any WWE Superstar is invited to stand face-to-face with Brock, accept the challenge, and receive the greatest humiliation possible in front of the entire world on the grandest stage of them all. "But I don’t think that’s going to happen. I don’t think anyone will answer Brock Lesnar’s open challenge for WrestleMania, because if you take a good look at that locker room… Let’s be honest, you can have all the title matches you want, but the real main event of WrestleMania will be for the one who gets beaten and conquered by Brock Lesnar. And there is nobody, NOBODY, in that locker room with the guts to take that beating at WrestleMania at the hands of Brock Lesnar," Heyman states before dropping the microphone onto the mat. Paul and Brock leave the ring to end the segment.
Becky Lynch delivers a video promo addressing AJ Lee. "The Man" makes it clear that their careers cannot be compared. While AJ Lee carried a butterfly-covered title, she changed everything by becoming the first woman to main event WrestleMania and the first to appear on the cover of a WWE 2K video game. Moreover, her husband is better than CM Punk’s idiot. Becky claims she has carried this business, taking it to heights never seen before. Even now, she has made the Women’s Intercontinental Championship more relevant than any other. "You don’t deserve to carry it, but I deserve to get rid of you and retire you in front of your friends and family in your hometown of Chicago," she says. Lynch states that AJ will be the least talented "AJ" to retire this year. Meanwhile, she will continue being the greatest female wrestler of all time. And it’s not just her saying it—so do outlets like Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. "On Saturday, at Elimination Chamber, I’ll prove it," she says to close her promo.
Je'Von Evans (with Offset) vs. Kofi Kingston (with Xavier Woods and Grayson Waller)
Both men stare each other down before the action begins. Kofi and Je'Von lock up while exchanging wristlocks. Kingston slaps Evans, who responds with a superkick. 1..2..NO. Je'Von sends Kofi out of the ring. Grayson steps onto the apron to briefly distract Evans. He attempts to launch himself onto Kingston, but his opponent runs up toward the top of the entrance ramp. Kofi returns, only to be caught with a running knee strike. 1..2..NO.
Kingston surprises Je'Von and sends him out of the ring. Kofi stands on the apron. From that position, he kicks his rival with a Penalty Kick. Grayson and Xavier mock Evans. Offset approaches Je'Von to check on him. Kingston grabs Evans and slams his head against the announce table. Kofi brings him back inside the ring, where he unleashes a flurry of kicks. Kingston hits a corner dropkick. 1..2..NO.
Kofi traps Je'Von in a wristlock. Evans breaks free, only for his opponent to trip him onto the mat. Kingston climbs one of the turnbuckles to dive onto his rival with an elbow. Kofi traps Evans in the ropes and strikes him at will. The referee is forced to intervene, ordering the former WWE Champion to back away from his opponent. Je'Von and Kingston trade attacks.
Je'Von catches Kingston with two consecutive superkicks before delivering a springboard tornado kick. 1..2..NO. Evans climbs to the top rope looking for a moonsault. However, his opponent dodges, causing Je'Von to injure his knee upon landing. Kofi takes advantage and hits an SOS. 1..2..NO. Evans recovers to surprise Kofi with a springboard enzuigiri. Kingston ends up at ringside, where he is taken out by a tope.
Evans brings Kofi back inside the ring. The referee checks on the latter. Grayson takes advantage of this to knock Je'Von out with a right hand. Kingston finishes him off with a leg drop straight to the back of the neck. 1..2..NO. Offset argues with Waller and throws him over the announce table. Xavier approaches the rapper to confront him. Kingston gets distracted by the scene, allowing Je'Von to surprise him with an OG Cutter. 1..2..3.
Winner: Je'Von Evans
We see a new video featuring several Superstars and personalities thanking AJ Styles for his career. Among them are Bayley, The Miz, Nattie, Randy Orton, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Once it ends, we see Frankie Kazarian and Abyss arriving at the arena to join the celebration.
CM Punk makes his entrance. "The Best in the World" receives a huge ovation. CM Punk uses the commercial break to chat with WWE staff members Alicia Taylor, Michael Cole, and Corey Graves.
We see footage of the match between AJ Styles and John Cena at SummerSlam 2016.
Finn Bálor delivers a video promo. "CM Punk isn’t the only one who has people angry at him. I do too. And I have to understand them to know what I need to do," he says. Finn needs to prove to his critics that he can accomplish what he failed to do in his homeland. He has spent ten years wondering what would have happened if he had been able to reign as Universal Champion. "You can learn a lot from a victory, but even more from a defeat," he says. "When I lost to CM Punk in Belfast, I learned that I need to stop asking ‘what if?’ and start asking ‘when?’ Everyone will know it, and it will be in Chicago. When you defeat CM Punk. When you become World Heavyweight Champion. When you headline WrestleMania. There will be no more ‘what if?’ Everyone will know who the real The Best in the World is."
We see Dwight Howard, Jermaine Dupri, Funny Marco, and Bow Wow in the front row.
We return to the ring with CM Punk. "CM Punk! CM Punk!" the fans chant. He interrupts them to remind them that the real star of tonight is AJ Styles. "AJ Styles! AJ Styles!" the crowd chants. CM Punk doesn’t want to take up too much time so that "The Phenomenal One" has enough to address his people. As for him, he’ll have his moment in Chicago. CM Punk begins his promo with his now-traditional catchphrase. "What if this is the last time I say it?" he asks. CM Punk references Bálor’s “what if?” to ask what would have happened if the Irishman had attacked him in Toronto. What if he hadn’t interrupted his title match against AJ Styles? The answer is simple: Bálor wouldn’t have had a title opportunity at Elimination Chamber.
CM Punk recalls that people still ask him why he takes so many risks, but he insists it’s what he has to do. It’s what "The Best in the World" is supposed to do. "I want to give the fans the champion they deserve. I want to follow in the footsteps of the greats I watched growing up. The contemporaries I’ve shared a locker room with. Terry Funk, Harley Race, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Triple H—and the list goes on. I’m just trying to do my best, and I don’t like dealing with ‘what ifs.’" CM Punk gives an example: "What if Roman Reigns were here tonight?" He is here—every night. In every city, every town, every country on WWE tours. And now Bálor wonders what would happen if he defeated him. CM Punk insists he doesn’t deal with questions—he deals with reality. And the reality is that Roman Reigns will be on Raw next week. "What if I don’t wait until WrestleMania and punch him in his stupid face next Monday?" he asks. CM Punk doesn’t need to deal with these questions—but he’ll let Reigns do it. "I don’t need this. I don’t need to say, ‘what if I were the Champion?’ because I am the Champion! I don’t need to say, ‘hey man, what if I were good?’ because I am The Best in the World! I don’t have to ask myself ‘what if I were the main event of WrestleMania?’ because I am the main event of WrestleMania! I am the Champion! I am The Best in the World! My name is C..." he shouts. "...M Punk!" the fans add. CM Punk drops the microphone to end his promo.
We see Jeremy Borash and Petey Williams talking backstage. They are soon joined by Omos. The three men are ready for the tribute to AJ Styles.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Triple Threat Match
Raquel Rodriguez vs. IYO SKY vs. Kairi Sane
Rodriguez takes Kairi down with a big boot. IYO tries to surprise the Texan, but she doesn’t allow it. Sane attempts to lock Rodriguez in a sleeper hold, but the Texan easily throws her off. SKY and Sane unite against their rival. They slap hands, realizing they are no longer friends. Raquel charges at them, but they dodge and respond with a stereo superkick. The Texan falls to ringside. Kairi quickly turns on SKY, ending their alliance.
Rodriguez returns to grab both Japanese stars and delivers a double Fallaway Slam. IYO and Kairi reunite to send Raquel out of the ring. Sane dives onto the Texan, but Raquel catches her mid-air. IYO then launches herself with an Asai Moonsault, landing on both of them. The action returns inside the ring. Kairi grabs SKY’s leg to pull her off the turnbuckle. Sane strikes IYO before hitting a sliding forearm.
Kairi continues to dominate the match. Sane traps SKY in a painful submission hold. Rodriguez returns to break it up, striking "The Pirate Princess" hard. Raquel throws Sane out of the ring before hitting three consecutive elbow drops on IYO, finishing with a Fallaway Slam. Sane tries to surprise Raquel on the apron, causing both to fall to ringside.
Kairi gets back in, only to be surprised by SKY. She kicks Rodriguez with a rope dropkick, preventing her from reentering the ring. She then executes a Missile Dropkick on Kairi. The fans go wild. IYO prepares for a running meteora, but Raquel stops her with a Pounce. The Japanese stars once again unite to send the Texan out of the ring. SKY hits a crossbody suicide dive. Kairi follows up with an Insane Elbow on Rodriguez. A shotgun dropkick from IYO sends Rodriguez over the barricade. At that moment, Kairi surprises IYO with a back fist.
The action returns to the ring. IYO recovers to catch Kairi with a backbreaker, followed by an Over the Moonsault. 1..2..NO. Rodriguez breaks up the pin. SKY responds by surprising Raquel with a Missile Dropkick. IYO follows with a running meteora and goes for her finisher. Rodriguez stops her, but she can’t prevent a diving DDT. SKY once again looks for the Over the Moonsault, but Kairi knocks her off the turnbuckle. Kairi attempts an Insane Elbow on Rodriguez, but Raquel gets her knees up. Raquel finishes off "The Pirate Princess" with a Texana Bomb. 1..2..3.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
Cathy Kelley interviews Jade Cargill in the stands area. Cargill demands that Kelley introduce her properly by listing all of her WWE accomplishments. Once satisfied, "The Storm" states that Liv Morgan made the best possible decision, because if she had chosen her, she would have wiped the floor with her body at WrestleMania. As for her potential opponent at the grand event, Jade makes it clear that none of the Elimination Chamber participants concern her in the slightest. The interview is abruptly interrupted as Netflix returns from commercial.
We see an emotional video highlighting AJ Styles’ career in professional wrestling.
AJ Styles makes his classic entrance in his ring gear. "The Phenomenal One" greets the front-row fans as he heads toward the ring. Michael Cole and Corey Graves stand up to applaud him. "Thank you, AJ!" the fans chant. AJ Styles jokes about his attire, noting that he didn’t want to show up in a suit so he wouldn’t upset Cody Rhodes. AJ Styles admits he is nervous—not sad. "I’m grateful to be in Atlanta, Georgia," he says before reminding everyone that he grew up in this city. AJ Styles knows that what’s happening tonight isn’t common in this business, and he thanks them for allowing him to have this farewell here.
"The Phenomenal One" reflects on his professional journey and some of the greatest wrestlers he has faced along the way. AJ Styles recalls how, after a memorable run in TNA, he decided to go to Japan, where he met new brothers who taught him how to have fun—because that’s what this is all about in the end. AJ Styles says he has accomplished almost everything in this business. However, he regrets failing at one thing: being a full-time good father. "The Phenomenal One" addresses his family in the front row directly, acknowledging that he missed many moments with them, including anniversaries and his children’s birthdays. AJ Styles remembers winning numerous championships around the world. However, what he is most proud of is his wonderful wife. "You never stopped me. You never asked me to quit. You always pushed me forward. You kept the family together even though I’ve spent more time on FaceTime. You are The One. I love you," he says.
AJ Styles understands that fans are not satisfied with his retirement—or how it happened. But for him, it’s almost poetic. He debuted in WWE at Royal Rumble 2016 and retired a decade later at Royal Rumble 2026. He also knows fans have wondered why he didn’t leave his gloves in the ring. Well, there’s a simple explanation: he is a man of his word, and today he is here to keep it. He didn’t do it in Saudi Arabia because he wanted to do it at home. AJ Styles places his jacket on the mat and lays his gloves on top of it. AJ Styles thanks the fans one last time to close his promo. He climbs one of the turnbuckles to say goodbye. "Thank you, AJ!" the fans chant. The entire roster appears on the entrance ramp to applaud "The Phenomenal One," who struggles to hold back his emotions. "AJ! AJ! AJ!" the crowd chants.
GONG!
The arena lights go out. The fans erupt. American Badass makes his entrance riding his motorcycle!
The Undertaker stops in front of the ring. "The Phenom" steps inside and carefully looks at AJ Styles’ gloves. "So what? You’re just going to leave your stuff here and walk away? You and I have unfinished business," he says. AJ Styles looks surprised. "AJ, have you ever heard the phrase: ‘If you see me coming, you’re already lost?’" the legend asks. "The Phenomenal One" still doesn’t understand what’s happening. "I changed the phrase a little. ‘If you see me coming, that means you’re going.’ AJ, it is my honor to inform you that you are the newest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026," says The Undertaker. AJ Styles can’t help but laugh with emotion. The two men embrace as the fans cheer. AJ Styles’ family enters the ring to hug him. Together they celebrate as this week’s episode of the red brand comes to a close.
