Five reasons why AJ Styles should not lose to Gunther at WWE Royal Rumble 2026

Nik O Connor has been Khel Now since 2024 and covers WWE.

Published at :January 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM

Modified at :January 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM

(Courtesy : WWE)

AJ Styles has a high-stakes match at the Royal Rumble 2026 event.

The 2026 edition of the WWE Royal Rumble event will be historic as it is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, it could be a night of horror for AJ Styles.

The Phenomenal One demanded a rematch from Gunther, who controversially beat him on the January 12 edition of RAW. The Ring General agreed, but only on the condition of Styles putting his career on the line, which he has accepted. However, there are five major reasons WWE should not book him to lose the bout.

5. AJ Styles’ contract has a lot of time left

AJ Styles revealed in an interview on the Six Feet Under podcast that his contract expires at the end of the year.

🚨| Per @Fightful, Those close to AJ Styles indicated that his WWE contract extension runs through February 2026, just before WrestleMania 42.While AJ Styles has often talked about retirement in the past, he hasn’t mentioned it much lately. pic.twitter.com/THFFv8270d
— EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) September 5, 2025

With an extended period left on his current deal, WWE should capitalize on Styles’ starpower rather than end his career abruptly at the Royal Rumble event.

4. WWE just saw the exit of John Cena

John Cena WWE Saturday Night's Main Event — WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 13: John Cena salutes during Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena on December 13, 2025 in Washington DC. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)

The WWE Universe is still reeling from the effects of seeing a legend like John Cena retire in December 2025.

Having AJ Styles lose to Gunther and end his career a month later might not be the best move for their roster, given the star power and the risk of upsetting fans even further.

3. A third match

AJ wins via DQ at the Rumble. AJ is close to defeating Gunther. Gunther snaps. Brutalizes him. Writes him off until WrestleMania season.AJ vs. Gunther III at Mania.
— Wrestle Features (@WrestleFeatures) January 19, 2026

With AJ Styles having an entire year left on his contract, he should not lose the match to Gunther at the Royal Rumble PLE. Instead, The Phenomenal One could win this bout and set up a third match against

2. Elevate young talent

The final year of AJ Styles could see him work with a lot of young talent, such as Je’Von Evans, Bron Breakker, and Austin Theory, to elevate them to the next level. WWE should not lose out on this opportunity by having him retire early at the 2026 Royal Rumble PLE.

1. One final run as World Champion

Much like John Cena, AJ Styles truly deserves one last run as a WWE World Champion before hanging up his boots. Therefore, WWE should not let Gunther defeat Styles at the Royal Rumble and have one final tenure at the top of the mountain to have a storybook ending to his illustrious career.

When did AJ Styles announce his retirement for 2026?

AJ Styles announced his retirement at the WWE Crown Jewel 2025 PLE.

When and where will Royal Rumble 2026 take place?

The 39th edition will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season.

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N. O'Connor

Nik O Conner is a long-time fan of professional wrestling. After dropping his Engineering regular studies in 2020, he decided to pursue his passion and became a writer. Over the last few years, he has written for multiple webs bringing a lot of skills and creativity to the table.