Aj Styles Tribute Dominates WWE Raw as Gunther Teases Skipping Farewell
The Raw episode in Atlanta centered on a televised tribute to aj styles, but the farewell was shadowed by uncertainty when Gunther suggested he might skip the segment. The tension mattered because the Ring General had ended Styles’ WWE career at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Riyadh, and his presence — or absence — reshaped the night’s drama.
Aj Styles Farewell and Gunther's Threat
Gunther, identified throughout the show as The Ring General, told Atlanta’s 92. 9 The Game he might not attend the advertised farewell segment on Monday’s Raw in Atlanta, saying it was tempting to “ruin it” though he also acknowledged he might stay away. He had been the one who ended Styles’ WWE career at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a development that set the immediate stakes for the tribute. CM Punk and AJ Styles had also faced off in a surprise championship match on the Raw go-home show before the 2026 Royal Rumble, adding context to why the tribute carried weight on the road to WrestleMania 42.
State Farm Arena, February 23: Tribute, Interruptions and Backstage Altercations
Raw’s February 23 show at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta opened with a confrontation: Gunther interrupted commentators Corey Graves and Michael Cole, objecting to the AJ Styles tribute. Raw general manager Adam Pearce ordered Gunther out of the arena; Gunther left under protest but was attacked by Dragon Lee for the second time in as many weeks. The two were separated backstage, and former undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes later appeared only to be cut off when The Vision, led by Paul Heyman, interrupted the scheduled opening segment and delivered a heel faction promo before the night’s opening match.
Jey Uso's Triple Threat Victory Sends Him to Chicago
Jey Uso won a Triple Threat match against Original El Grande Americano and “Big” Bronson Reed to secure the final men’s Elimination Chamber spot, overcoming both technical skill and raw power. At one point, Bronson Reed appeared to suffer a wrist or forearm injury that required medical attention at ringside and seemed to take him out of the contest. With the match down to Uso and El Grande Americano, Uso uncorked a spear and finished with an Uso Splash to pick up the win and “cash his ticket to Chicago. ” The victory sends Uso to the Elimination Chamber on Saturday, where he will have a shot at headlining WrestleMania in a world title match for a second consecutive year.
Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio and the WrestleMania Decision
Women's Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan, flanked by Dominik Mysterio, used her Raw appearance to reveal which champion she will challenge at WrestleMania 42. After Mysterio called out both La Primera — Stephanie Vaquer — and WWE women’s champion Jade Cargill, Morgan apologized to Vaquer and said her WrestleMania entry is about telling her story. The segment ended with Morgan blasting Vaquer with the microphone, delivering an ObLIVion and leaving Vaquer lying. Morgan had entered the Royal Rumble at No. 14 and eliminated three superstars en route to winning, a result that booked her a championship match at WrestleMania 42.
Context from Royal Rumble and SmackDown Teases
The Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh kicked off the official road to WrestleMania 42 on Saturday, where Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan won the titular matches. Reigns entered the match at No. 26, eliminated five superstars and won his second career Royal Rumble, booking a championship match at WrestleMania 42. The weekend’s outcome clarified some futures while muddling others; the event was framed as a significant escalation of WWE’s long-polarizing partnership with the autocratic Middle Eastern state. SmackDown had already teased intertwining storylines involving Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and Bron Brekker ahead of the event, and pundits produced pieces including five predictions for the weekend. A WWE star identifying herself as Rhea told Uncrowned, “I don't know if I'm ready to be the serious Rhea again, ” underscoring shifting creative directions backstage.
How to Watch: Premium Live Events, Platforms and Upcoming Broadcasts
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What makes this notable is how in-ring outcomes, backstage confrontations and broadcast promotion all converged on a single episode: the Raw tribute to a recently retired performer became a pivot point that reshaped Elimination Chamber qualifying stakes, hinted at future WrestleMania matches and underscored the delicate balance of planned farewells and unscripted heat.
