WWE's plan for Gunther after controversial John Cena match is coming into focus

WWE doesn’t have to tell you what Gunther is now. They’re showing you.

Since the John Cena retirement match, Gunther hasn’t been booked like a guy who’s simply supposed to “move on to the next feud.” He’s being framed like a heel centerpiece And honestly? After a 2025 stretch where he occasionally felt stuck in “great matches, same vibe,” this is the jolt he needed.

The heat isn’t a side effect — it’s the plan.

The big clue is how WWE has leaned into Gunther’s post-match behavior: the smug interviews, the chest-out disrespect, the deliberate “I know this bothers you and I’m doing it anyway” energy. WWE even highlighted him mocking the crowd with Cena’s “You Can’t See Me” gesture — which is basically Gunther’s way of saying, “Your hero is no longer here to save you. Deal with it.” 

Gunther’s vicious heat campaign just found the perfect opponent in AJ Styles

If WWE wanted Gunther to feel like a “strong champion” again, they’d just let him chop people into deli meat and call it a day. Instead, they’re presenting him like a modern day legend killer: not just beating big names, but disrespecting them afterward to keep the audience mad and the locker room motivated. First, Goldberg, then John Cena. Now? It looks like AJ Styles is next.

Jan. 5 handed Gunther the exact kind of foil he needs. AJ Styles cut Gunther's promo off in the ring on WWE’s Stranger Things-themed RAW because wrestling still has one timeless rule: if a heel gets too smug, a legend shows up and makes it personal. Styles wasn’t there to debate. He was there to draw a line — and he did it with one clean, vicious slap. 

Gunther’s reaction was priceless. He didn’t immediately swing back. He stood there, furious, simmering, looking like a guy who’s mentally filing paperwork for the violence he’s about to commit. 

WWE didn’t slow-play it. They announced Gunther vs. AJ Styles for next week’s RAW — in Düsseldorf, Germany, at the PSD Bank Dome. 

That location matters. Gunther in front of a German crowd is a cheat code for atmosphere, and WWE clearly wants the next chapter of this run to feel big, loud, and internationally important. 

Styles is the perfect opponent for the story WWE’s trying to tell. He’s a name that still feels current, but he’s also undeniably a legacy guy. If Gunther’s 2026 identity is “I’m here to erase icons,” then Styles is a fantastic next test.