Speculation Swirls Around Gunther vs AJ Styles at WrestleMania Amid Retirement Talk

There’s growing speculation that WWE could be building toward a WrestleMania showdown between Gunther and AJ Styles, and it all stems from a subtle backstage moment that aired on RAW after John Cena’s retirement match.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer pointed out something that many fans might’ve missed—Gunther smiling and briefly interacting with AJ Styles after being kicked out by Adam Pearce. And according to Meltzer, that moment may have been more than just a throwaway segment.

Meltzer hinted that WWE might be planting the seeds for a potential clash between Gunther and AJ Styles—possibly at WrestleMania—especially with talk swirling around AJ’s in-ring future. He explained the potential setup like this:

“He smiled and he met with AJ. And, you know, you can kind of see AJ and Gunther being a match that they’re going to do. I don’t know if it’s going to be at Mania, which is kind of weird, you know — in a sense I’d go like, well, AJ hasn’t been pushed that hard, why should he be with Gunther? But at the same time, you know, they’re trying to duplicate the thing with the AJ retirement, you know, coming up this year. So maybe that’s the beginning of the… you know, I mean, it makes sense for Gunther to face and beat AJ as well.”

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This speculation comes hot on the heels of Gunther defeating John Cena in what was promoted as Cena’s retirement match. The fallout from that bout has fans and insiders theorizing that Gunther could be positioned as WWE’s new legend killer—possibly retiring AJ Styles next, and eventually even Brock Lesnar. Meltzer even noted that it could be part of a broader plan:

“They probably figured that like, you know, have this guy be the guy who ruins every retirement party for super heat.”

If this is the direction WWE is heading, it’s a bold one. Styles is still one of the most respected performers on the roster, and a loss to Gunther on his way out could generate major heat for the Ring General while giving AJ one last marquee WrestleMania moment.

Whether or not WWE pulls the trigger on this storyline remains to be seen, but the backstage tension, timing, and Meltzer’s analysis all suggest it’s not just fan fiction—it might actually be in play.

What do you think—should WWE have Gunther retire AJ Styles at WrestleMania? Or should AJ go out on his own terms? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear your take.

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