Gunther often hailed as the “Ring General” has been criticized for his World Heavyweight Championship reign. The reign was initially lauded for its length and the title’s elevation but soon lost the glamour and charm. He has held the championship for 246 days and defended it multiple times. While his in-ring talent is undeniable, his title reign now seems predictable. Unlike his record breaking Intercontinental Championship reign (666 days), his current title reign hasn’t been as much impressive. In this article we will analyse what lacks his growth after having held the title for almost 250 days and unbeaten win streak.
Table of Contents
Arguments for Stale Reign
Repetitive Opponents/Match Dynamics
Gunther is defending his title at WrestleMania 41 against Jey Uso, a match that fans saw in recent times where Gunther defeated Jey. Also, they fought 22 times against each other so for fans the WrestleMania match is like a rematch they’ve already seen multiple times. He dominated his Intercontinental reign and did not allow any opponents to stand in front of him.
The storylines portrayed the talented superstars as stepping stones. Opponents like Ricochet, Mustafa Ali, and Bronson Reed were more capable but showcased as a minor importance in front of him. Moreover, his matches were predictable and followed the same structure of technically sound and hard-hitting.
Lack of Compelling Storylines
Gunther won the Intercontinental Championship and dominated the roster. After the loss he participated in the “King of the Ring” tournament and won a World Heavyweight opportunity. In this both the title reigns we just witnessed the dominance and no character build up. Now, the storyline is focusing on his undefeated streak rather than developing dramatic rivalries. His fans also believe that now he has reached that position where he should get a match against wrestlers like Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.
Impact with the Intercontinental Championship
Gunther with his fighting style restored the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship. He holds the record of longest reign with championship of 666 days but now his matches were more predictable. Continuously winning the matches made his career stagnant and fans tune in not to see if he will win or lose but how much he will win.
Unlike other titles, we didn’t see much excitement, suspense, or surprise entry in the reign. The division became a place just to portray Gunther’s legacy and consistency.
Stagnant Character Development
“The Ring General” is a dominant one but with time his character did not evolve. His entrance, military precision walk, and his confidence when he states “He is unbeatable” is still the same. He won two championships on the main roster and has a great wrestling career that qualifies to evolve to stay engaging. However, Gunther’s portrayal has become flat and didn’t get the opportunity to reinvent himself.
Missed Opportunities
Instead of just focusing on title reign WWE missed many opportunities to develop his character. For example the opportunity to develop the story against Chad Gable where fans are praising Chad Gable’s interest towards championship. WWE could have build up the moment and dramatically can turned the situation but couldn’t.
Another big miss was against Sheamus, two bruisers with stiff, no-nonsense styles clashing in a war of pride and legacy. Peak moment was their Clash at the Castle 2022 bout, where WWE missed and couldn’t entertain the fans with the storyline.
Acknowledge Counter arguments
No doubt, Gunther’s title reign has its merits. His Intercontinental title reign’s impact was undeniable. Longest reigning champion and defending it for 91 times is unmatched. His athletic level physicality, consistency, technical skill make him watchable.
But that’s not all, as some fans are happy with his title reign but many others demand a dramatic and emotional storyline for him. A long reign could have a better built up with a satisfying defeat. That loss would evolve his character, attachment from the fans and an opportunity to reach a higher level in his career rather than just staying at a stagnant position. His reign is filled with everything but worthy challenges, dramatic storylines, suspense is where this reign has fallen short.
Bhumika Joshi