Gunther to dethrone John Cena’s close friend in major twist? Exploring the possibility 

Gunther retired John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event XLII by submitting him in his final match, much to the fans' disappointment. Despite being booed and criticized for his actions, Gunther is likely not finished yet and may pull off another surprising move soon. In an unexpected twist, he might even dethrone Cena's close friend.

Cody Rhodes is the name in question. He is one of the prominent superstars in the Stamford-based promotion and is currently in his second reign as the Undisputed WWE Champion. The American Nightmare shares a great bond with John Cena. Although they have competed against each other multiple times in the ring, the duo still maintains a great mutual respect for one another.

After a heartbreaking fallout of Cena's retirement, the Undisputed WWE Champion didn't fail to acknowledge the GOAT. He, alongside World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, handed over their titles to The Franchise Player, honoring him in the biggest way.

Having retired the Last Real Champion, Gunther may aim to become a champion again. Since he has yet to lift the Undisputed WWE Championship, The Ring General could now target Cody Rhodes for the title.

The duo has a significant, developing rivalry in the Stamford-based promotion. Notably, Cody defeated the 38-year-old superstar at Crown Jewel 2024 to become the inaugural Crown Jewel Champion. Although their feud was short-lived, it was exciting for fans.

The creative team might consider creating a similar storyline, but this time, for the Undisputed WWE Championship. If that happens, since Cody already has a pinfall victory over Gunther, the latter could be booked to dethrone the champion in a massive twist and solidify his standing.

However, this is just a speculation, and it's quite unlikely to happen, as Cody Rhodes is currently involved in a compelling program with Drew McIntyre.

Gunther could also retire AJ Styles

It looks like Gunther has taken over the role of retiring WWE legends. Notably, he retired Goldberg in July of this year before retiring John Cena at SNME in Washington, D.C.

With that in mind, many believe that The Ring General would also retire AJ Styles, who is reportedly at the tail end of his career as an active wrestler. This week on WWE RAW, the former World Heavyweight Champion delivered a promo during the show, where he addressed his victory over John Cena at SNME XLII.

Following this promo, the 38-year-old superstar taunted AJ Styles with John Cena's "You can't see me" before driving off. This incident has led fans to suggest that The Ring General might also retire Styles when the time comes. However, this is also a speculation.