AJ Styles' retirement segment should have ended with a massive swerve, according to former WWE writer (Exclusive)

AJ Styles during his retirement speech on SmackDown [Image credits: WWE]
AJ Styles during his retirement speech on SmackDown [Image credits: WWE]

Former WWE head writer Vince Russo had different plans on how AJ Styles' retirement segment should have been booked. This segment sowed the seeds for another match between him and Cody Rhodes.

A couple of weeks ago, Styles walked out to SmackDown in a suit. He seemed emotional as he announced that he had a long career in the business and was considering hanging up his boots. He called out Cody to pass on the torch. However, it was a setup and the Phenomenal One attacked the champ.

This week on the Writing with Russo podcast, the former writer claimed that the segment should have been booked differently. He suggested Cody should have turned heel and attacked Styles when the 47-year-old gave his retirement speech. he felt it would have been something different and would have attracted attention from casual as well as hardcore fans.

"If they really wanted to do something, what they should've done was let AJ Styles give a retirement speech and let Cody attack AJ, when AJ was legitimately retiring. You want to do something bro, because right now, everybody, even the marks, even the hardcore, that small audience, they see you're just coasting along until Roman comes back or Rock. We already know the next three months are gonna mean absolutely nothing. It is so obvious, bro." [2:35 onwards]
youtube-cover

AJ Styles will look to regain the Undisputed WWE Champion as he faces Rhodes in an "I Quit" match this weekend. The encounter will emanate from the OVO Hydro arena in Glasgow, Scotland.


If you use the quotes from this article, please embed the YouTube video and add an H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcript.


Rhea Ripley explains how a Triple H vs. Ric Flair match got her into wrestling. Check out her comments below.

youtube-cover

Quick Links

Edited by Rahul Madurawe
sk promotional banner
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications