Gunther is currently thriving on WWE Smackdown and is hoping to test himself against the best the company has to offer, including 16-time World Champion John Cena.
The former WALTER arrived in WWE in 2019 and was primarily featured on the NXT UK brand, where he held the United Kingdom Championship for a record 870 days.
In fact, it was believed for a long time that Gunther would remain in Europe and it was well known that he was reluctant to relocate to the United States and become a regular member of WWE’s main roster.
However, the Imperium leader recently spoke to Sports Illustrated and explained his sudden change of heart:
“I really like the way of life in Europe. But in the back of my head, I knew it was time to move to make the next big step in wrestling. In order to do that, you need to be in the United States, and the timing was right for me over the past year.”
Gunther also addressed his name change upon arriving on WWE’s main roster, but downplayed the backlash to the tweak in his presentation, claiming he is still the same performer:
“So the change from Walter to Gunther, it’s part of the process in this business. Look at wrestlers who made it to the top, they almost all went through some changes. I’m confident in what I do in the ring, and I kind of expected the name change. There’s no reason for the uproar. Gunther gives the same vibes that Walter did. When I walk to the ring, there is a certain atmosphere. That’s what I represent. It’s still me.”
The Austrian Superstar won the Intercontinental Title from Ricochet just two months after his Smackdown debut and is looking to bring back prestige to the championship:
“I am going to give this title the prestige it needs and make it the greatest prize in wrestling”
Gunther added:
“I would like to wrestle John Cena and anyone else who is considered elite. I didn’t come here to be mediocre. I came here to be in the ring with the best. I’m just getting started. I’m very excited for this journey.”
WWE will return to the United Kingdom on September 3rd for Clash At The Castle. Gunther does not currently have a match scheduled for the marquee show.