Cody Rhodes Weighs In On AJ Styles’ Retirement, What It Would Mean To Win Elimination Chamber

Cody Rhodes says he doesn’t want to see anymore WWE retirements for a while following John Cena and AJ Styles both hanging it up. WWE has been beset with retirements over the past year with Goldberg, John Cena and then AJ Styles all having their final matches. Styles’ in-ring career officially ended at the Royal Rumble, losing to the same man who retired the other two in Gunther.

Rhodes was a guest on ESPN First Take promoting this weekend’s Elimination Chamber. Rhodes, who is in the men’s Chamber match, spoke about what it would mean to win the match and face Drew McIntyre, the man who beat him for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the start of the year. He also expressed his hope that we don’t get more retirements any time soon. You can see highlights below:

On What It Would Mean To Win the Elimination Chamber:

“I think you want to close the loop. And I think this year more for me — I mean, I’m seeing all the WrestleMania sign everywhere and not being able to point at it, when the years before I had won the Royal Rumble or even last year going into it, I was the incumbent champion. This year, it’s really up in the air for me. And it’s tumultuous and you’re on that chase. So, just to be able to point at the WrestleMania sign and know I’m going to go in and do another WrestleMania main event means a lot to me.

“Drew McIntyre, great. It doesn’t matter who it’s against, but I’d love to close the loop on Drew because we’ve been fighting each other for quite some time.”

On AJ Styles’ Retirement:

“I don’t want any more retirements. We’re saying goodbye way too much to too many people. AJ is incredible. He’s one of the few people who wrestled not just me, my brother, and my dad. And really, a game-changing type performer. I love how WWE did it. And the inclusion of the Undertaker, which was a complete surprise to everyone to then say, ‘You’re going into the Hall of Fame’ was a really beautiful way to go out.

“I mean, it’s never easy. To see John [Cena] tap out, to see AJ go down like that. Gunther really is turning into the Career Killer. It’s more than just the moniker. Hopefully someone can put an end to that. But I don’t want any retirements for a while. Let’s do debuts. New blood, new, yes.

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