WWE Champ Gunther Names Fellow Stars With Whom He Clicks

With two historic reigns under his belt in WWE, GUNTHER has come face-to-face with a laundry list of in-ring competitors. Which opponents does he gel with the most, though? During a recent interview with "Busted Open Radio," GUNTHER provided an answer, citing two of his former challengers as prime examples.

"Ilja [Dragunov]. I have a few guys I really click with, and kind of in a different way bring it out of me. But Sheamus is definitely one that in WWE, I was like, 'That's the match you need to have first,' because that guy, he doesn't care. He just loves to lay it in. He just loves to feel it. And as long as that's in the right places, there's no issue with that."

The rivalry between Sheamus and GUNTHER extends back two years, when "The Celtic Warrior" unsuccessfully challenged "The Ring General" for the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Clash at the Castle. Despite his loss, Sheamus continued to chase after GUNTHER and his title, later earning two additional shots at the gold. The latest encounter between Sheamus and GUNTHER took shape in the opening round of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, in which GUNTHER emerged victorious once again.

Dragunov, on the other hand, battled GUNTHER well before their respective WWE arrivals. As natives of Europe, Dragunov and GUNTHER routinely crossed paths in Germany's wXw, and later in "WWE NXT UK."

"I was ahead a little bit [in my career], but we wrestled each other, so [Dragunov] was kind of like a protege a little bit too. I helped him out a little bit. So it's a different dynamic that we have with that one."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.