SUMMARY
- Gunther is now one of the biggest stars in the Triple H-led promotion.
- The Ring General holds the record for being the longest reigning IC Champion.
Gunther holds the record for the longest reign in the Intercontinental Championship’s history, but his reign ended at WrestleMania 40. Despite his loss to Sami Zayn at The Show of Shows, The Ring General is still highly popular among the professional wrestling audience and continues to be a well-respected name in the promotion.
This 6-foot-4 in-ring star has already built a legacy for himself in WWE due to his extraordinary run, but he believes that he would not have been successful in Vince McMahon’s era. The 36-year-old made this statement during his recent appearance on Gorilla Position, as he talked about a variety of things about his run with the Stamford-based promotion.
Gunther states that the era in WWE before Triple H’s was one of the reasons why he didn’t want to go to the U.S & did not enjoy the product nor wanted to be part of it.
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) April 28, 2024
Ultimately credits Triple H for having a vision for him & his presentation in the ring.
(Gorilla Position) pic.twitter.com/OhgmLZ0wDd
During the conversation, Gunther admitted that he hated the company before Triple H took over, and that was a major reason why he didn’t move to the U.S. earlier. Stating that would not have been successful in Vince McMahon’s era, he said, “The (WWE) product before Triple H was not what I enjoyed. I just didn’t want to be part of that.” (Via: X)
“I am who I am and that’s what I can do best. A big part of that is I need to have my time in the ring and have that time to put on the matches I can put on. That chance would not be there under the old regime,” the Austrian-born professional wrestler added. Additionally, he shared that The Game always saw potential in his skills and also had a vision for him.
Agreeing to the WWE star’s bold comments, someone from the audience said, “Vince leaving saved the company I’m not even kidding,” “Thank GOD Vince is Gone Forever,” another member of the pro wrestling community commented after Gunther’s statement about a potential run under Mr. McMahon’s era.
When did Gunther finally join WWE in the United States?
It must be noted that Gunther was previously on the NXT UK roster, which was led by The Game, while the US side of things was under Vince McMahon. As he wasn’t too sure about working under Kennedy, he stayed in the United Kingdom until Hunter took over the creative side of things in the Stamford-based promotion.
It was in January 2019 that he made his debut on the yellow brand’s UK roster, but it wasn’t until January 2022 that he made his shift to the United States. After joining WWE’s developmental territory in the U.S., The Ring General didn’t look back, and now he is one of the biggest names in the Triple H-led promotion.
A look at Gunther’s WWE career
As Gunther took over NXT through his dominance, fans were wondering when he’d be called up to the main roster, and it eventually happened in April 2022. The former NXT UK Champion started off as the leader of Imperium, and on June 10, he was able to win the Intercontinental Championship by defeating Ricochet.
This victory was the start of a historic title run for the in-ring star, as he ended up becoming the longest reigning IC Champion in history. During his reign with the title, The Ring General took down guys like Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Chad Gable, Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, Matt Riddle, Mustafa Ali, and many more.
After a 666-day reign with the championship, Gunther was eventually dethroned by Sami at WrestleMania 40. Even though he lost, his performance received a lot of appreciation, as people hailed him for his revolutionary run. With this, he looks set to go even beyond the Intercontinental title, as many believe that he’s ready for the world title picture.
What makes it a believable scenario is that Triple H rates him high, and there’s a possibility that he might give him a reign with the World Heavyweight Championship. If that’s the plan, WWE would surely give him the push of a lifetime. So, it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Gunther’s journey in the Stamford-based promotion.