Shinsuke Nakamura just did something wrestlers rarely do—he pulled back the curtain on professional wrestling’s most emotional moments.
After defeating AJ Styles at Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 24th, 2026, Nakamura posted a heartfelt message to Instagram that seemingly confirmed Styles’ retirement plans.
The post, titled “The diary I wrote the day before,” was quickly deleted, but not before revealing intimate details about Styles’ final chapter in professional wrestling.
What Nakamura shared wasn’t just wrestling news—it was a love letter to friendship, legacy, and saying goodbye to someone who changed everything.
The Van Conversation That Changed Everything
During WWE’s Australia tour last year, Nakamura noticed something different about his longtime friend and rival.
At a Melbourne house show, Styles gave a speech that felt like more than just fan appreciation. Nakamura sensed an underlying message—retirement wasn’t a distant possibility anymore.
During last year’s Australia tour, at a house show in Melbourne, AJ gave a speech after the match. Listening to it, it was clear he was thanking the fans. But somehow, it also felt like he was hinting that retirement might not be that far away.
Days later, during WWE’s Japan tour, Nakamura couldn’t shake that feeling. While riding in a van to a meet and greet, he asked Styles directly: “When are you going to retire?”
Styles’ answer was shockingly specific.
He answered, ‘The Royal Rumble. I’ve already decided.’
That moment hit Nakamura hard. Whether he responded out loud or just in his thoughts, one thing became crystal clear—he needed one final match with his friend before the end.
Becoming AJ’s Voice for Japanese Fans
Before their match in Japan, Styles showed Nakamura something deeply personal on his phone.
It was a farewell message written specifically for Japanese fans—the people who first embraced him during his groundbreaking New Japan Pro Wrestling run. Styles asked Nakamura to translate it into proper Japanese.
It talked about his anxiety and excitement when he first came to Japan, and his gratitude toward Japan for accepting him. It was, without question, a farewell message.
Nakamura delivered that speech with everything he had, pouring emotion into every word as Styles’ voice to fans who helped build his legendary career.
That’s when retirement stopped being abstract and became devastatingly real.
Two Careers That Changed Wrestling Forever
January 4th, 2016, at the Tokyo Dome. That’s where everything started between them.
Their first-ever singles match earned worldwide praise and became an instant classic. Shortly after, both wrestlers made life-changing decisions—leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling for WWE.
We never talked about our futures with each other. I think we just happened to make huge decisions at the same time.
But their paths diverged dramatically once they arrived in WWE.
While Nakamura worked through NXT, Styles exploded onto the main roster scene, transforming WWE’s landscape almost immediately.
AJ, on the other hand, took over WWE like a fish in water. He brought a new wind everywhere he went. And honestly, I remember thinking, ‘Yeah, that figures.’
The Brother He Never Expected
Nakamura’s description of their relationship reveals something wrestling fans rarely see—genuine affection behind scripted rivalries.
He painted Styles as straightforward, impossible to hate, with terrible fashion sense and that distinctive Southern accent. But when it came to wrestling? Nobody matched his combination of expression and technique.
He’s straightforward, easy to read, and impossible to hate. His everyday clothes are terrible, and he’s got that Southern American accent. What a lovely American.
Despite admitting they don’t know each other as deeply as fans might assume, Nakamura called Styles special—almost like a brother and best friend rolled into one.
That connection drove their greatest WWE moments together: their Money in the Bank reunion, Nakamura’s Royal Rumble victory, and their WrestleMania showdown.
I don’t think any of that would have happened if AJ hadn’t pushed it.
One Last Perfect Goodbye
Now Styles faces Gunther in a career-threatening match at Royal Rumble—potentially his final performance.
For Nakamura, Saturday Night’s Main Event represented his last opportunity to share the ring with someone who fundamentally shaped his career. His closing words carried the weight of finality and hope.
And now… our final match awaits. My last chance to give him the perfect send off. Do your best, me. And pro wrestling gods, please be kind.
Whether Nakamura’s post was an accidental spoiler or intentional farewell, it offered something precious—an unfiltered glimpse into how wrestlers honor each other when cameras stop rolling.
AJ Styles transformed WWE and helped bridge Japanese and American wrestling styles like few others could. If Royal Rumble truly marks his final match, he’s leaving behind a legacy that extends far beyond championships and main events.
He’s leaving behind brothers who’ll never forget what he meant to professional wrestling.