Even though I am mostly among the believers who think that AJ Styles is losing to GUNTHER at the Royal Rumble tomorrow, I liked the promo he cut tonight on “SmackDown,” and I really appreciated the fact he and GUNTHER were both on the show. “SmackDown” is the house that Styles built, to be fair, and he and GUNTHER didn’t look out of place at all.

If the blue brand is going to continue to be three hours long every Friday, there’s no reason why WWE shouldn’t be putting stars from both brands on the final go-home show to big premium live events, especially this one, where all the talent had to fly around the world to Saudi Arabia.

And, while I’m (again, mostly) in the camp of believing Styles’ WWE career is done as of tomorrow, I am ever-so-slightly shaky on that prediction, as I could see both ways, and in this promo, Styles did his best to convince fans that he will be going on a retirement tour after all, one that doesn’t stop with “The Ring General.” Styles told fans not to be worried about tomorrow, he’s going to knock GUNTHER’s teeth down his throat and that is what’s going to kick off the “Phenomenal Farewell Tour.” He mentioned wanting one more match with the likes of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, as well as CM Punk when the crowd chanted his name.

This was also the first promo, I believe, that GUNTHER promised to make Styles tap tomorrow. Which, Styles had a great comeback to, bringing things all full circle, when he said that last time he checked, it was GUNTHER who tapped out “like a little b****.” That didn’t exactly help to make anything more clear for me as to how this goes tomorrow, as Styles was pretty convincing in his argument that he made GUNTHER tap first. I’ll admit, this is one time I don’t mind being unsure as to how things are going to go.

Either we get GUNTHER’s “Career Killer” strengthened even further tomorrow, or we somehow get a John Cena-esque retirement tour for Styles. I think I’ll be fine with either option, but if it is the end for Styles in WWE, he at least made a fine attempt tonight to convince us all that it’s not. On a go-home show where not much exciting happened, an appearance by Styles to say his piece before what might be his final moment in the company was a welcomed addition.

Written by Daisy Ruth