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AJ Styles Receives Surprise WWE Hall of Fame Induction During Emotional Atlanta Farewell

The Undertaker delivered the on-air reveal, reinforcing WWE’s framing of Styles’ retirement following his Royal Rumble loss.

Overview

  • At Raw in Atlanta, Styles reflected on his career and left his jacket and gloves in the ring to mark the end of his in-ring run.
  • The Undertaker appeared to announce Styles as a member of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, with the ceremony scheduled for WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas.
  • WWE released post-show footage showing heartfelt in-ring and backstage moments with colleagues from TNA/Impact and NJPW alongside WWE talent.
  • WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque publicly congratulated Styles, and reporting indicates the induction news was kept secret to genuinely surprise him.
  • Industry outlets report WWE is considering John Cena to induct Styles, a possibility described as unconfirmed and contingent on his schedule.