3 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (19 January - Results & Review)

2. Gunther Raises The Stakes

WWE is clearly going to lean hard into this “career killer” gimmick for Gunther – and they absolutely are correct for doing so.

After securing a rather dubious win against AJ Styles last week, the man who retired Goldberg and John Cena was in full gloat mode Monday night, which drew Styles out for a confrontation. AJ tried to goad Gunther into a rematch, but the Ring General noted that there wasn’t any real incentive for him to pull double duty at the Royal Rumble PLE, until…

Gunther agreed to a rematch with Styles… if AJ put his career on the line. Later in the show, Styles agreed to the stipulation, making it official for the Rumble.

Styles already has said that 2026 is going to be his last year as an active wrestler, so the threat of losing – even in January – is very real, especially against someone who seems hellbent on amassing a collection of vanquished careers. Their match last week told a sublime story, and when they run it back at the Rumble, fans could be in for a real treat.

Regardless, they’ve got fans on the hook here, given Gunther’s momentum, Styles’ dwindling career, and the question of how this match factors into those conditions.