AJ Styles briefly returned to the squared circle over the weekend, coming to the aid of his son Avery Styles at an independent wrestling event.
The retired WWE Hall of Famer made a surprise appearance for Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment, where Avery was competing against Jones.
Following the match, Avery found himself on the receiving end of a post-match attack. His father then hit the ring and intervened, preventing the situation from escalating any further.
The appearance marked a rare return to the ring for Styles following the conclusion of his legendary in-ring career.
Styles wrestled his final match against Gunther at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble before retiring from active competition. He has remained with WWE in a backstage role since then and has notably worked with NXT talent as a coach and mentor.
Avery, meanwhile, made his professional wrestling debut in June before appearing on TNA iMPACT in August, where he confirmed that he had signed with the promotion.
His first official TNA match is scheduled for Bound For Glory on October 11, where he will compete in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet.
The winner of the match will earn a future championship opportunity.
AJ Styles made a surprise appearance tonight at Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment saving Avery Styles from a post-match beatdown!
(📹 @nocommentnumb)
(📹 wrestlelitlive on IG) https://t.co/jTV26aJsE5— 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐕𝐞𝐧 (@WrestlingCovers) October 5, 2026
