Shinsuke Nakamura uploaded a note on Instagram after his match against AJ Styles yesterday, a note which he wrote the night before his match.

In his long note, Nakamura said that during the tour in Australia last year, he asked AJ when is he going to retire, after hearing a speech he made at a show that for him, felt like a goodbye.

“He answered, ‘The Royal Rumble. I’ve already decided,'” Nakamura wrote.

The Japanese star told AJ that before he retires, he wanted to wrestle him one more time, and AJ nodded in agreement.

That match came yesterday, coincidentally or not, one week before Styles puts his career on the line against Gunther at the Royal Rumble.

“I don’t say it out loud, but I rely on him. I respect him. And even though we don’t actually know each other as deeply as people might think, to me, he’s special,” Nakamura wrote.

“Almost like a brother and a best friend, in my own way. And now… our final match awaits. My last chance to give him the perfect send off. Do your best, me. And pro wrestling gods, please be kind,” he concluded.

The two ended up having one hell of a match, with Styles coming out with a mask he usually donned in Japan, and Nakamura coming out to his NXT-style entrance. On this cold Montreal night, Styles came out on top and after the match, both stars showed respect to each other.