3 Ways AJ Styles Can Lose To Gunther But Save His WWE Career

AJ Styles is gearing up for a showdown with Gunther at the Royal Rumble on January 31st at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If he loses, he retires.

The feud kicked off a few weeks before on Monday Night Raw, after The Phenomenal One called out The Ring General for trash-talking John Cena after retiring him at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, 2025.

Fans are buzzing that AJ might lose his match to Gunther and hang up his boots on Saturday. His contract reportedly expires in February 2026, and it’d be exactly ten years since his iconic WWE debut, which would be a perfect full-circle moment.

Gunther’s already put away legends like Cena and Goldberg last year, so it looks like Styles may also fall victim to him. Yet, it’s still possible for AJ Styles to save his career even after tasting defeat at the Royal Rumble. Here’s how:

#1 If Gunther Cheats

Gunther could snag the win with dirty tricks, just like he did on the January 12 edition of Raw, leading Adam Pearce to call it a no-contest and book a rematch. We all know that Pearce is not a big fan of Gunther but has huge respect for Styles, so he could step in to safeguard AJ’s legacy.

That rematch could have a No DQ stipulation, shutting down any chances of Gunther’s sneaky moves, and could take place at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.

#2 If AJ Styles Loses by Countout or DQ

AJ Styles is a ring wizard with incredible skills, and he can push even a beast like Gunther to the brink. The Ring General might force a DQ or countout just to claim the win and force his opponent to retire. If it happens, then Styles would get a solid reason to demand a rematch since it would be an inconclusive finish.

#3 AJ Shifts to a Managerial Role

AJ could eat the loss at Rumble, retire from the ring, and still stick around WWE as a manager/authority figure. While talking about his retirement in interviews, The Phenomenal One has stated that he wants to stay in WWE in a non-wrestling capacity even after hanging up his boots.

If Styles becomes an authority figure in WWE, he could use his power to torment Gunther and drive him nuts. This might frustrate Gunther and force him to challenge AJ Styles, which would give the WWE legend a perfect opportunity to return to the ring, have one more last match against Gunther, and retaliate.

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