When it comes to professional wrestling on Monday Night RAW, you would be hard-pressed to find a more respected man than the “King General” Gunther.
Dubbed the best wrestler in the world by Finn Balor in a recent interview, Gunther routinely garners some of the best match ratings of any member of the WWE Universe, with his match against Drew McIntyre and Sheamus at WrestleMania 39 arguably last year's match of the year. Gunther hit hard, respects tradition, and has been able to parlay his exceptional resume into even more prolific runs in WWE, including the longest Intercontinental Championship reign of all time.
Naturally, considering his sacred respect for the mat, you would think he would be anti-supernatural acts like the Wyatt Sick6, right? Not necessarily, as, in an interview with Gorilla Position, Gunther put over Bo Dallas' new faction for being over with the crowd.
“First of all, everything, it’s not just wrestling, it’s also movies, like the genre, everything that has to do with spooky stuff or ghosts, or supernatural, that’s not my taste at all. I’m more documentary guy, I love history, and I like movies about a topic or happenings that really happened. So it’s hard to judge when it’s not your taste, but by the reactions of our audience, obviously, there’s a big interest in it,” Gunther explained via Fightful.
“I feel like the big challenge is always getting that in the ring and keep the mysterious aura around it but also making it work. But I haven’t paid too much attention to it right now, how it’s handled, but I would think if there’s somebody that can make it work and have the right dose of the spooky stuff and then the guys still being real [people], I think Hunter will have a good hand on that, on managing that. I wish for it to be a success, so let’s see. I’m very interested how it’s gonna play out.”
Could Gunther have just said, ‘Eh, not for me?' Sure, but instead, he put over the group, put over creative, and celebrated Triple H for always putting his wrestlers in the best position to succeed. Considering where his own career is at the moment, it's safe to say that trust is justified.
Gunther reflects on the changes to Imperium
Elsewhere in his interview with Gorilla Position, Gunther was asked about the current state of Imperium and how he feels about Ludwig Kaiser taking part in a singles program with his former rival, Sheamus.
While Kaiser has been out of action since his most recent match against Bron Breakker, suffering broken ribs in the bout, Gunther is still proud to see him branch out, as after working together for their initial run on the main roster, he's excited to see how this solo run shakes out.
“Oh, very. To me, it’s no surprise because I always saw that in him. I think what that took was that he saw that himself in himself,” Gunther told Gorilla Position via Fightful. “I think that was the biggest step for him, and now he has the chance to do his own thing and go out there and make a name for himself, just for his own. I’m very pleased to be able to witness it first-hand. I think he’s just getting started, and the next years are going to be very exciting, when it comes to the things he’s gonna do.”
Asked about Imperium's current construction, Gunther noted that while they may not be appearing on television together at the moment, they are still a group and support each other.
“I mean, it’s a duo right now. I think it’s important now that he does things on his own. Obviously, we’ll always have the bond and always stick together when it’s necessary. That won’t change,” Gunther said. “But that also doesn’t mean we always have to be seen together every minute on television. I think everybody’s aware that there’s a connection, and there’s no reason to assume that it’s not there anymore, but I’ve always been big about handling my matches myself, without wanting or needing help, and he’s gonna do the same now. I think that’s a very good experience to make, and it’s a very good path to follow. If things get dangerous or difficult for me, we always know we can rely on each other.”
Should Kaiser return to Gunther's side for SummerSlam? Yes, even if he's working his own program, WWE would be wise to make the presentation look as special as possible, especially if he secures the win. Why? Because Imperium is supposed to be a dominant faction and presenting that unified front is the best way to posture them in such a manner.