We are just three days away from the 2026 Royal Rumble, and the atmosphere is nothing short of electric. This year, WWE makes history as the event heads to Saudi Arabia, marking the first time the iconic show has ever been held outside the United States. With both the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches on the card, the stakes couldn’t be higher: a guaranteed ticket to the main event of WrestleMania.
But there is a much bigger match taking place on the same night. AJ Styles is set to face Gunther in a one-on-one bout with a massive stipulation: if Gunther wins, Styles’ career is over. Gunther, who calls himself “The Ring General,” has quickly earned the nickname “The Career Killer” after ending the careers of both Goldberg and John Cena last year. He now has the opportunity to achieve that same feat once again by ending the career of AJ Styles.
Recently, Gunther has faced some online heat from fans who argue that he didn’t truly “retire” Cena or Goldberg but merely beat them in their final matches, as they were retiring anyway. The stakes against AJ Styles, however, feel much more urgent. Though Styles has already pointed toward a 2026 retirement, Gunther now has the chance to prove the critics wrong by being the one to officially end a career prematurely.
Stakes are everything in WWE, and nothing is more final than a forced retirement. From emotional farewells to shocking upsets, we’re counting down the top five matches that captured the tension, drama, and heartbreak of a career on the line.
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Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz (No Mercy, 2016)
What made this match truly special wasn’t just the high stakes of a career on the line; it was the dual nature of the prize. Dolph Ziggler wasn’t just fighting to stay employed; he was fighting for the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship. Widely regarded as a pinnacle of the 2016 “Brand Split Era,” this match perfectly captured the high-stakes drama of the time.
Heading into the match, The Miz was in the midst of a legendary 188-day title reign that was praised by many fans. Meanwhile, Ziggler was in the middle of a frustrating slump, having lost every major match recently. He decided that in order to prove not only to The Miz, but to the WWE Universe, that he still belonged, he would put his career on the line.
The drama was off the charts, as rumors of Ziggler’s real-life contract expiring and a move to a backstage role added a level of suspenseful realism, leaving the crowd to believe he might retire genuinely.
The match itself was thrilling as the two went back-and-forth, with The Miz attempting every dirty trick in the book, including interference from his wife, Maryse, and Ziggler’s former teammates, The Spirit Squad, to try and propel him to victory.
Despite the odds stacked against him, Ziggler managed to defeat The Miz by landing a Superkick, drawing one of the loudest crowd reactions of his career. This match is often credited with restoring prestige to the Intercontinental Championship.
