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AJ Styles opens up on teaming with Dragon Lee in WWE final run

2026-07-23 · AJ Styles · Match Report

AJ Styles opens up on teaming with Dragon Lee in WWE final run

AJ Styles has revealed his honest feelings about teaming with Dragon Lee during the final stretch of his WWE career.

What happened with AJ Styles and Dragon Lee?

AJ Styles teamed up with Dragon Lee in late 2025 as part of his final WWE run. The pair won the WWE World Tag Team Championship on 12 October 2025 by defeating The Judgment Day. Their reign lasted 70 days before The Usos took the titles from them on 21 December 2025. Styles called the partnership a success and said he enjoyed working with Lee.

“They just kind of told me, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about putting you with Dragon Lee,’” Styles told INSIGHT. “Great, that’s great. We worked well together and had fun. We made a great tag team out of it.”

Why the Dragon Lee run mattered to AJ Styles

The tag team run with Lee capped Styles’ WWE career. It followed his decades-long run as a singles competitor and set up his retirement at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event in January 2026. Styles had already decided he wanted to debut and retire at the same show, regardless of location.

“That wasn’t my pay-per-view or PLE,” Styles said. “For me to debut and end it at the Royal Rumble - I don’t care it was in Saudi Arabia. It’s still the Royal Rumble. That meant something to me.”

How the tag team reign unfolded

Styles and Lee’s title win came against Damian Priest and Finn Bálor of The Judgment Day. Their 70-day reign included defenses against challengers like The Street Profits and Imperium. The reign ended when The Usos - Jey and Jimmy Uso - defeated them on 21 December 2025 at a live event.

Styles described the chemistry as natural. Lee, 31 at the time, brought high-flying style that complemented The Phenomenal One’s mat work and psychology. The partnership gave fans a memorable final chapter before Styles’ in-ring farewell.

What comes next after AJ Styles’ retirement

Styles officially retired at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event in January 2026. He lost to Gunther via the Ring General’s Sleeper Hold, ending a career that spanned WWE, TNA, and Japan. He leaves as a former WWE Champion and one of the most decorated in-ring performers of his era.

Lee remains on WWE’s roster and has continued competing in singles and tag matches. Styles has not announced future plans but hinted at staying involved in wrestling through commentary or training. The Dragon Lee partnership remains one of the final highlights of Styles’ career.

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