WWE Stock Report: GUNTHER Embraces the Villain Role After Forcing John Cena to Tap Out
Here’s a bold statement for you: WWE’s landscape is shifting, and not everyone is handling it gracefully. While some platforms focus on power rankings, here at Cageside, we dive deeper with our weekly stock report. In this series, we spotlight three Superstars (or groups) whose fortunes are rising and three whose stars are fading. This week was packed with action—from Maxxine Dupri’s first defense of the Women’s Intercontinental Title on Raw to the Usos’ victory over the New Day and the explosive faction war between MFT and Wyatt Sicks. Let’s break down who’s soaring and who’s sinking.
Stock Down #3: DIY
After Tommaso Ciampa’s loss to United States Champion Ilja Dragunov on SmackDown last week, DIY found themselves on the losing end again, this time against the makeshift team of Carmelo Hayes and Dragunov. This defeat dampens the anticipation for Fraxiom’s eventual showdown with DIY, who stole Axiom’s mask weeks ago. It’s a missed opportunity to build momentum for what could’ve been a heated rivalry.
Stock Down #2: Kairi Sane
Despite the Kabuki Warriors holding the Women’s Tag Team Championships, WWE has consistently portrayed Kairi Sane as the team’s weak link. Following singles losses to IYO SKY and Alexa Bliss earlier this month, Sane was dominated and pinned by Nia Jax in a tag team match on SmackDown. If rival teams are looking for an easy path to climb the ranks, targeting Kairi in the ring seems like a surefire strategy. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is WWE doing Kairi Sane a disservice by positioning her as the perpetual underdog, or is this a deliberate move to elevate her partners?
Stock Down #1: Nick Aldis
Nick Aldis’s negotiation skills left much to be desired when he visited Drew McIntyre’s home to reinstate him from suspension. Starting with a forceful “take it or leave it” offer, Aldis crumbled when McIntyre countered, agreeing to all of Drew’s demands. Later on SmackDown, Aldis shamelessly blamed Cody Rhodes for the poor deal, despite Drew and Nick sealing it before Rhodes’s involvement. Rhodes’s fiery response—“You work for me!”—highlighted Aldis’s lack of authority. While this could set the stage for Aldis’s in-ring return, for now, he comes across as an ineffective leader unworthy of respect. And this is the part most people miss: Could Aldis’s failure be a setup for a bigger storyline, or is he simply miscast in his role?
Now, let’s shift gears to those whose stock is on the rise.
Stock Up #3: CM Punk
CM Punk returned to Raw for the first time since his War Games loss, delivering a scathing promo against Bron Breakker to hype their World Title match on January 5. Punk’s insults—calling Bron a “cross-eyed Neanderthal nepo baby” and threatening to “rip your eyes out”—were as brutal as they were entertaining. His reference to Steiner Math and invitation for Bron to bring his “dumb father and even dumber brother Scott” added fuel to the fire. After this promo, who isn’t eager to see these two collide?
Stock Up #2: Austin Theory
In a shocking twist, the masked mystery man who helped Logan Paul defeat Rey Mysterio on Raw was revealed to be Austin Theory. This move instantly catapulted Theory into Raw’s top storyline, giving him another chance at a major push. While some might argue the reveal was premature, it makes sense given Theory’s current standing—he’s not yet a top-tier star who could sustain prolonged anticipation. Compare his trajectory to Grayson Waller’s, and it’s clear who WWE is positioning for success, though Theory still has work to do to solidify his upper-card status.
Stock Up #1: GUNTHER
Whether forcing John Cena into retirement as a quitter was the right call for WWE remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: GUNTHER is now the most despised figure in the company. His Raw appearance this week was met with intense boos, and he leaned into the hatred, gloating about making Cena tap out “like a little bitch.” Even GM Adam Pearce called him out for disrespecting Cena’s legacy, but GUNTHER laughed it off, mocking Cena’s signature gesture. This segment solidified GUNTHER as WWE’s top villain, and he’s relishing every moment of it.
Controversy & Comment Hooks: Is GUNTHER’s villainous turn a stroke of genius or a disservice to Cena’s legacy? And what does this mean for the future of WWE’s storytelling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear from you!
There you have it, Cagesiders. Whose stock do you think changed the most this week? Sound off below!
