AJ Styles is trending in the wake of John Cena’s retirement at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and WWE wasted no time teasing what could be The Phenomenal One’s final major program.

On the December 15 episode of Monday Night Raw, Gunther made his first appearance since forcing Cena to tap out in Washington D.C. The Ring General cut a promo bragging about ending Cena’s legendary career, which drew the ire of several WWE Superstars backstage, including R-Truth, Akira Tozawa, and Otis.

General Manager Adam Pearce then confronted Gunther, telling him he only insulted Cena because he knows the 17-time world champion won’t be coming back—making him “a big idiot.” Pearce ejected Gunther from the building and sent him home.

But the real moment came in the parking lot. As Gunther made his way to his car, he came face-to-face with AJ Styles. The two locked eyes in a tense staredown before Gunther got in his vehicle. Before driving off, The Ring General mockingly hit Styles with John Cena’s signature “You Can’t See Me” hand gesture—a clear message that he’s coming for The Phenomenal One next.

This confrontation strongly indicates that Styles vs. Gunther is very much on WWE’s radar as a potential marquee matchup for Styles’ retirement tour in 2026.

The Ring General is cementing himself as the definitive legend killer of this era. Gunther has now:
• Ended Bill Goldberg’s career
• Ended John Cena’s career (via submission at SNME)

Could AJ Styles be next on that list? And with Brock Lesnar rumored to retire at SummerSlam 2026 in his hometown, Gunther could add even more Hall of Fame scalps to his resume.

Styles has confirmed he will retire in 2026. Speaking to Tokyo Sports and later doubling down on the Crown Jewel Kickoff Show in October, The Phenomenal One was candid about his decision:

“I’m getting old, folks. Listen, if I could find the fountain of youth and take a couple of sips, I’d wrestle for the rest of my life. But you know, I am getting older, and the fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer… There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to take care of business, but when business is done, it’s time to take care of his family. I need to spend time with my family. In 2026, I will retire.”

At 48 years old, Styles is still performing at an elite level as one-half of the World Tag Team Champions alongside Dragon Lee. The duo picked up a win at SNME against Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater—but the clock is ticking on one of wrestling’s most decorated careers.

During his pre-SNME media rounds, Cena spoke to Chris Van Vliet on Insight and didn’t mince words when asked about Styles, calling him the “best to ever do it.”

“Shawn’s gonna be pissed, and God did Shawn ever take care of me,” Cena said. “There’s not a lot he [Styles] can’t do, and he makes difficult look easy. But that is not God-given talent. That is practice. When you see difficult become seamless, it’s because it’s been done 10,000 times, and the amount of sht he can do seamlessly. Man, he’s the best to ever do it.”

Coming from a 17-time world champion wrapping up one of the greatest careers in wrestling history, that endorsement carries tremendous weight.

With WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas on the horizon, Styles has indicated he’ll likely appear—possibly for his final Mania match. His WrestleMania history reads like a who’s who of WWE legends:

• WrestleMania 32 (2016): Chris Jericho – LOSS
• WrestleMania 33 (2017): Shane McMahon – WIN
• WrestleMania 34 (2018): Shinsuke Nakamura – WIN (retained WWE Championship)
• WrestleMania 35 (2019): Randy Orton – WIN
• WrestleMania 36 (2020): The Undertaker – LOSS (Boneyard Match)
• WrestleMania 37 (2021): New Day (w/ Omos) – WIN (won Raw Tag Team Championship)
• WrestleMania 38 (2022): Edge – LOSS
• WrestleMania 40 (2024): LA Knight – LOSS
• WrestleMania 41 (2025): Logan Paul – LOSS

One final addition to that legendary list awaits in 2026.

Unlike Cena’s year-long farewell tour, Styles has indicated he doesn’t want that type of sendoff. Speaking to Cena, he admitted he’s “already overstaying my physical welcome.”

That means fans won’t get the extended goodbye tour—making every remaining appearance from The Phenomenal One all the more valuable. According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is reportedly planning some kind of retirement tour for Styles in 2026, though the specifics remain unknown.

From TNA to New Japan to WWE, AJ Styles has done it all. Two-time WWE Champion. Three-time United States Champion. Intercontinental Champion. Tag Team Champion. First-ever TNA Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion. Two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

The Phenomenal One’s time is running out. Appreciate every moment while you still can.