AJ Styles Accepts Invite To 1/23 WWE SmackDown

AJ Styles has been invited to WWE SmackDown.

In a new social media via, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis formally invited Styles to Friday’s SmackDown. Aldis noted that SmackDown is the house that AJ built.

Styles will put his career on the line against Gunther at WWE Royal Rumble.

.@RealNickAldis invites @AJStylesOrg to SmackDown this week… 👀

📺: FRIDAY 8e/7c on @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/6mUdcumdUy

— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2026

Styles would later accept the offer.

I appreciate that. The forecast for G-ville is bad weather. Why not go to a place where snow and ice are not that big of a deal? See you soon. https://t.co/BBoLIPIkwg

— AJ Styles (@AJStylesOrg) January 22, 2026

Here is the current lineup for SmackDown:

WWE SmackDown (1/23)

• Nathan Frazer vs. Johnny Gargano
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Number One Contenders Match: Nia Jax & Lash Legend vs. Kiana James & Giulia vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
• WWE Tag Team Championships: Wyatt Sicks (c) vs. MFT
• Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest
• AJ Styles to appear

Fightful will have coverage of SmackDown on Friday followed by a post-show podcast.