World title challenger delivers chilling warning ahead of Royal Rumble
Summary
– Gunther issued a direct threat to Michael Cole on January 26, RAW
– The confrontation centered on AJ Styles’ career stakes at Royal Rumble
– Gunther stopped short of violence but made his message clear
WWE Monday Night RAW aired on January 26, 2026, from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The episode served as the final RAW before the Royal Rumble event scheduled for January 31 in Saudi Arabia.
During the broadcast, Gunther sat down with Michael Cole for a face to face interview to discuss his upcoming match against AJ Styles. The bout carries career implications for Styles, who has already stated that 2026 will be his final year in professional wrestling.
Cole questioned Gunther’s decision to push Styles into putting his career on the line. Gunther responded by saying there was nothing meaningful to gain by defeating Styles again unless it resulted in ending his career entirely.
Gunther referenced opponents he claimed had retired, including Goldberg and John Cena. He dismissed the idea of a farewell tour for Styles and said he intended to take that moment away from him.
The interview’s tone escalated when Gunther turned his attention to Cole. He questioned how long Cole planned to remain in WWE and suggested he could end Cole’s career instantly by knocking him out of his chair.
Despite the threat, Gunther did not physically attack Cole. Instead, he said he wanted Cole present to call what he believes will be AJ Styles’ final match at the Royal Rumble.
With tensions rising, the confrontation added another layer of intensity to Gunther and Styles’ upcoming showdown. All eyes now turn to Saudi Arabia to see whether Styles’ career truly comes to an end.
