Bullet Club alums Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows made a rare backstage appearance on this week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw for AJ Styles tribute, following his in-ring retirement at the Royal Rumble.
The night concluded with The Undertaker officially announcing Styles as the newest inductee into the 2026 WWE Hall Of Fame.
Karl Anderson did share insight once Raw went off the air on the Talk’n Shop podcast including AJ Styles doubling down on his retirement from the ring in WWE and was looking forward to helping the next generation of superstars.
“I said this is exactly what I said I thought was gonna happen. I said, ‘AJ Styles is gonna leave the WWE, and go to AEW or TNA, or go work.’ I did not think that he was going to finish up in the WWE. I did not think so.”
AJ Styles further elaborated that his neck was in bad shape and it was time to give back:
“We get to the back, I said, ‘AJ! I did not know you were really gonna retire.’ He goes, ‘Really!?’ I said, ‘Yeah. What do you mean ‘really,’ AJ? We haven’t spoke. How am I supposed to know if you’re really gonna retire or not?’ And he said, ‘Dude, I have to. My neck is hurting too bad. I’m beat up. It’s time. I want to help the next generation,’ and I go, ‘Well, I didn’t really believe it. So I just kept talking on my podcast about how you were not gonna retire, and you’re gonna go here and you’re gonna go there, and now, I gotta eat a lot of crow, pal.’”
There have been rumblings of AJ Styles working with the NXT brand alongside WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels in some capacity. One thing is certain, AJ Styles will be taking his place alongside many legends in the WWE Hall Of Fame.
You can listen to the entire episode of Talk’n Shop with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson about AJ Styles tribute on RAW below.
Protect Your Connection Like a Champ With NordVPN!
At Bodyslam.net, we know the importance of staying protected—whether you’re in the ring or online. That’s why we’ve partnered with NordVPN, the undisputed heavyweight champion of internet security, to bring our readers an exclusive deal.
Unlock major savings and keep your data safe from hackers, trackers, and snooping ISPs—all while streaming wrestling content securely from anywhere in the world.
Hit the link below to step into the ring with the best VPN in the business:
👉 NordVPN.com/bodyslam
When you sign up, don’t forget to enter our exclusive code:
🎟 Code: bodyslam
Get protected. Stay anonymous. Browse like a main-eventer.
NordVPN x Bodyslam.net — Because even your internet deserves top-tier protection.
📺 FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE:
- 🔗 Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/BodyslamNet
- 🔗YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BodySlamNet
- 🔗 Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/BodyslamNet
- 🔗 Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/BodyslamNet
- 🔗 Website: https://www.Bodyslam.net
- 🔗 Discord: https://discord.gg/pwnexus
- 🔗 Donate: https://www.SlamChats.com
- 🔗 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bodyslam-net-pro-wrestling-and-mma-podcasts/id1597223420
- 🔗 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4e69419f-4edb-4a71-bb1c-135caa275cda/bodyslam-net-pro-wrestling-and-mma-podcasts-interviews-news-and-more
- 🔗 iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-bodyslamnet-pro-wrestling-91327468/
- 🔗 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kJXcW9A1syn9lUpwtqD37
Want to discuss wrestling further? Join our Discord community by clicking here!
If you enjoy Bodyslam’s content, you can help donate to the site here. You can also visit our PWTees store and buy Bodyslam official merchandise here.
You can listen to all of Bodyslam’s podcasts by following us on Spotify and subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Twitch, Apple, Google, or any of your favorite podcast platforms.
Follow us on X: @BodyslamNet