Finn Balor Reflects On His Emotions Around AJ Styles’ Retirement, How It’s Motivating Him

Finn Balor says that he has a lot of emotions around AJ Styles’ retirement, and that it’s fueling his motivation to chase the World Heavyweight Championship. Styles had his final moment with a tribute on this week’s WWE Raw, where he officially confirmed his retirement. He was also announced by The Undertaker as an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Balor has a storied history with Styles, and he was asked about Styles’ retirement in an interview with Adrian Hernandez on Unlikely. He reflected on the retirement of Styles and John Cena and how that’s pushed him to try and capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Balor will challenge CM Punk for the title at Elimination Chamber this weekend. You can see highlights from the interview below:

On Styles’ Retirement:

“It’s very hard to put it into words. But it’s — you know, the change in landscape and wrestling recently has been dramatic. First of all, you know, it was very emotional seeing John retiring. You know, everyone’s looked up to John for so long and what he’s done, not only in the business, but for so many Make-a-Wish kids around the world, and so many people he’s inspired and influenced.

“But then to see AJ retire, someone who I’ve looked up to professionally for 25 years. He’s been like a constant source of inspiration for me. He’s been the benchmark of how to perform in the ring. So getting to be there to see him retire sparks not only a lot of emotions, but a lot of feelings towards where I’m at with my career. And kind of the idea that probably the clock is ticking for me, too.”

On How Styles’ Retirement Is Pushing Him:

“It got me thinking about how for the last 10 years, every time I do any kind of media, I get asked, ‘What if you didn’t get hurt? What if you didn’t have to relinquish the title?’ And I felt like there’s this been this stain on my career for the last 10 years that I need to remove. And no matter how hard I tried to remove it, be a multiple time Tag Team Champion, Intercontinental Champion, US Champion. Go back to NXT, be a two-time champion in NXT. No matter how hard I try to remove that stain of that injury of that night from SummerSlam 2016, people just aren’t satisfied unless I win the big one.

“And I feel like that, I’ve realized with especially AJ retiring that I don’t have much time to remove this stain, that I need to fix it now. And I feel like it’s kind of lit a fire under my ass, so to speak, with a new drive, a new motivation, and a new goal to to really stop those questions of ‘What If’s.’ And for me it’s the question of when am I going to be champion and and the only person who can answer that me.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Adrian Hernandez with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.