Triple H must give 48-year-old WWE legend one final title win at Clash in Paris before he is gone for good

AJ Styles has done it all in professional wrestling. A multi-time World Champion across promotions, the Phenomenal One has gotten to the very top everywhere he has ever been, and defied the odds phenomenally in the process, from TNA, NJPW, to WWE. He has undoubtedly proven himself as one of the very best to ever lace up a pair of boots.

Yet, as Styles clearly prepares to wind down his career over the next couple of years, one final title run remains a potential cherry on top. What better title than the Intercontinental Championship for the ultimate workhorse, and what better occasion than Clash in Paris this weekend?

Winning the Intercontinental Championship in Paris would be an unforgettable moment for both him and the fans, considering the special connection he has with the WWE Universe in France. Last year, Styles challenged Cody Rhodes in an unforgettable main event for the Undisputed WWE Championship, a definite match of the year candidate.

And yet, what is most remembered most fondly about that night in Lyon, France, is the reception the former IWGP Heavyweight Championship got from the fans, as chants of "Il est vraiment... phenomenal" immortalised the match and the night. But, it is not just the moment that makes Styles winning the title worth it. When one books just for moments, one ends up sacrificing the long-term presentation of the product, but that won't be the case here.

Styles winning the Intercontinental Championship could set up a blockbuster match with John Cena for one last dream showdown, with the one title Cena has never won in WWE on the line before The Greatest of All Time retires by the end of the year. Styles and Cena's in-ring chemistry is obviously second-to-none, and with the story right there, such a clash would be an instant classic.

Dominik Mysterio, the reigning Intercontinental Champion, can also afford to lose the title right now considering the immense goodwill he has with fans, the prospect of an imminent babyface turn, and the fact that he is supposedly set to be positioned as the face of AAA going forward, which also means possibly winning the AAA Mega Championship from El Hijo Del Vikingo at Worlds Collide.

Dom is pretty much bulletproof right now, even though a loss to a surefire future first-ballot Hall of Famer like AJ Styles shouldn't really hurt him anyway, especially if the build continues to entertain and the match delivers. If AJ Styles vs Dominik Myterio is made official for Paris. then hopefully, Styles' potential win of the title can still leave room for Cena and Mysterio to be involved in a singles match, or at least some kind of promo segment and tag team situation, which is also an unmissable prospect for Triple H as well.

Former WWE Champion AJ Styles has under two years left in his in-ring career.

AJ Styles is currently 48 years old and has repeatedly stated that he will retire from professional wrestling before 50. Given AJ Styles' status as perhaps the greatest and most iconic TNA wrestler of all time, WWE's partnership with the company, a final/match in TNA remains an exciting prospect, especially with the company's remarkable resurgence courtesy of the WWE partnership.

Nonetheless, his retirement match itself is expected to take place on a marquee WWE show. Since Styles' birthday is in June, the likeliest and most apt time for his retirement seems to be WrestleMania 43 in 2026. Given AJ Styles' wealth of experience and expertise, it is very likely that he continues in a behind-the-scenes role in WWE following his retirement, and a man of his talents and stature could don one or more of various important hats once he hangs up his boots.