AJ Styles Expected to Gain More Influence in WWE Scouting: Report
AJ Styles is expected to gain more influence in WWE's scouting department, according to Fightful Select. The report says the retired star has become a regular presence at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
The same report shuts down talk that Styles is now running the Performance Center. Fightful's source said he recently filled in to finish a class, but called him "a constant and positive presence at the PC."
What the report says
Fightful's report points to a bigger behind-the-scenes job for Styles, not a return to the ring. The key details:
- Styles is expected to have more say in WWE's scouting and talent search.
- His time at the Performance Center goes beyond the occasional visit.
- He is not running the Performance Center. He stepped in to finish a class recently.
- Bobby Roode has reportedly been considered for a role similar to the ones held by Bruce Prichard or Michael Hayes. Nothing has been finalized.
None of this has been announced by WWE. Treat it as a backstage report until the company confirms any new title or position.
Where AJ Styles stands right now
Styles is retired from in-ring competition. His last match was against Gunther at the Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Gunther won after Styles passed out in a sleeper hold. The match ran close to 25 minutes, and Styles got a standing ovation before he left the ring.
WWE then held a tribute night for him on the February 23 episode of Raw in Atlanta. The Undertaker arrived on his motorcycle and revealed that Styles was part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Styles was inducted at the ceremony in Las Vegas on April 17, the night before WrestleMania 42 began.
After the Rumble, there was talk that Styles could head elsewhere. He shut that down on the Talk N Shop Live! show, saying "I am retired from wrestling in the ring." He also said, "I am still going to be working with WWE. That's not going to change."
A scout and a coach
Styles has talked openly about his new work on his own show, the Phenomenally Retro Podcast. In the spring he described himself as a talent scout who would travel anywhere to find wrestlers. "I'll scour the earth literally for that diamond in the rough, the next big superstar," he said.
By the summer, he said on the same podcast that he was taking over for one of the coaches at the Performance Center. That fits with what Fightful is hearing now. Styles has been training and watching young talent for months. The new part is that his voice in who WWE signs may get louder.
Why this matters
WWE's backstage structure looks set to change over the next year. PWInsider reported last week that Bruce Prichard is set to retire after WrestleMania 43, and that Shawn Michaels is expected to essentially step into Prichard's role. Michaels currently leads NXT as WWE's Senior Vice President of Talent Development and Creative. If he moves up, the people around NXT and the Performance Center become more important.
That is where Styles and Roode come in. Both are former in-ring stars now working behind the scenes, and both could take on more responsibility as those changes play out. Nothing has been confirmed for either man yet.
Our view: this is a smart use of Styles. He was one of the best in-ring performers of his era, and fans have wondered for months what his next step would be. A real role in scouting keeps him close to the product without asking him to wrestle again. It could also help WWE find talent that a regular scouting process might miss.
What to watch next
Keep an eye on whether WWE gives Styles an official title, and whether he shows up more on NXT programming. NXT airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET. The bigger picture will become clearer as WWE sorts out who replaces Prichard and who takes on more work in NXT.
For now, Styles is not coming back to the ring. He is helping WWE find the next generation instead. Catch up on the main roster with our Raw results Nov 2 and our Crown Jewel 2026 guide for Saturday.
