Gunther has won two world championships in WWE: the World Heavyweight Championship, one he captured in 2024 and the other in 2025. However, between these two reigns and even after them, he faced opponents who weren’t involved in the title picture. The Ring General in his heel persona should be chasing titles, but now, when broken kayfabe sees other rivalries as important too.
While speaking on Complex Graps, Gunther especially highlighted that his opponents in Goldberg, AJ Styles, John Cena and Pat McAfee served a different purpose.
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“If you’re only satisfied once you’re in that top picture or competing for that title, then you’re not gonna be satisfied very often because there’s only two titles and there’s a lot of us guys. So you won’t be able to do it all the time. I like to do those special-occasion matches, if that makes sense. I think all the matches I had with Goldberg, Cena, AJ are good examples. Even Pat McAfee,” said Gunther.
His rivalry with Nick Aldis stems from decisions he thinks screw him over. Whenever the former world champion has come close to the Undisputed WWE Championship, he finds that Nick is plotting against him, and thus the ire.
Why the ‘Walter’ name was changed to ‘Gunther’?
WWE officially rebranded independent wrestling icon and NXT UK star Walter as ‘Gunther’ in early 2022. The sudden decision triggered immediate backlash from fans. However, a report from The Wrestling Observer has finally revealed the backstage motivation behind the shift.
The name change was directed by former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Backstage sources indicate McMahon became fixated on the fear that fans or opponents might eventually start referring to the Austrian star as “Wally.” Believing the nickname would take away from his presentation as a menacing, main-event heel.
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Edited by Angana Roy