AJ Styles Proposes an Intercontinental Championship Match With The Undertaker

The Undertaker announced during the Undertaker: The Last Ride finale that he had no intention of stepping back in a WWE ring again, effectively retiring from the professional wrestling business. The final episode primarily covered Undertaker's final WWE match, the critically acclaimed Boneyard Match with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 back in April. Styles hasn't slammed the door shut on a rematch in interviews since then, and while speaking with Vincente Beltran this week he proposed offering "The Deadman" a shot at his Intercontinental Championship.

"If I thought that would get him in the ring with me, in front of thousands of people, I would definitely put up the Intercontinental Championship," Styles said. "Will that happen, will he take the bait? Probably not. If he's decided that he's done, I respect that. He's definitely done enough in his career to say 'that's it, I'm done.' Trust me, I know what it's like.

I can't imagine doing what he's done for so long, I really cant," Styles added. "The one thing he's earned is the right to call it quits on his own terms, but I would definitely offer him the opportunity,"

Interestingly enough, the IC title is one of the few championships "The Phenom" never won during his WWE career. Winning that title would give him the prestigious honor of being a Triple Crown Champion, a feat many of his peers reached over the years.

Undertaker, real name Mark Calaway, explained in the final episode that he felt the Boneyard Match was a perfect send-off for his character.

"My career, my legacy, speaks for itself. At the end of the day that's really all that matters," Calaway said. "And I have this other life that I need to go and experience and enjoy the fruits of my labor, enjoy the blessings that I have — my wife, my children."

"I believe I'm at a place now post-Boneyard, it's like I just one a hellacious battle against one of the best in the business," he added. "Here you are climbing on your motorcycle and taking off. There was a lot of thought and a lot of emotion that went through my head. One of those being, are you happy enough with that? It was just a powerful moment, and you don't always necessarily get those. If there was ever a perfect to a career, that right there is it. If Vince was in a pinch, would I come back? I guess time will only tell there. In case of emergency break glass, pull out The Undertaker, I would have to consider that. Never say never. But at this point in my life and my career, I have no desire to get back in the ring."

He concluded — "I've got a pit in my stomach right now (chuckles). This time the cowboy really rides away."