2 reasons why Braun Strowman should dethrone Gunther and 2 he shouldn’t
Braun Strowman has made clear his intentions to challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship. He is two matches away from doing so, having advanced to the semi-finals of the SmackDown World Cup by defeating Jinder Mahal last week on the Blue brand.
Should Strowman win his next two matches in the tournament, he will be the No. 1 Contender for Gunther's title. Looking at the other semi-finalists (Ricochet, Butch and Santos Escobar), it is clear that The Monster Among Men is the favorite to win.
Fans are already picturing a showdown between him and The Ring General and picking their sides for the same.
As such, we throw our hat into the ring and come up with two reasons why Braun Strowman should dethrone Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship and two reasons why he shouldn't.
#4. Why Braun Strowman should dethrone Gunther: He is among the last credible challengers for the title
Gunther has been on an absolute tear since arriving on the main roster. He is yet to lose a match via pinfall or submission and has beaten all challengers to his Intercontinental Championship.
It will take a monstrous effort to knock him off his perch, and that's where Braun Strowman comes in. Strowman is among a few superstars on SmackDown who seem like credible challengers to Gunther.
He can match his power and intensity, and can take on Imperium as well. The former Universal Champion is believable as the man to end the Intercontinental Champion's streak. As such, he should go all the way and become the new champion.
#3. Why Strowman shouldn't dethrone Gunther: It's better to book the title change to take place on a bigger stage
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Gunther's Intercontinental title reign has been nothing short of phenomenal. It has been one of the best things about SmackDown and has made the championship a worthy prize. As such, it deserves a fitting conclusion, preferably on a grand stage like WrestleMania or SummerSlam.
Braun Strowman is a worthy candidate to dethrone Gunther, but he shouldn't do it after winning the World Cup. Unless WWE can drag the feud towards WrestleMania, they should have the champion hang on to the title. It would make his eventual defeat that much more impactful.
#2. Why Strowman should dethrone Gunther: It would allow Gunther to challenge for the world title
Can you imagine what would happen if Gunther emerges as the next challenger to Roman Reigns' Undisputed WWE Universal Championship? It is a matchup that the company has to book at some point down the road, but it can only happen if he steps up to Reigns with no title on his shoulders.
As such, WWE will have to let Gunther drop the Intercontinental Championship to a top-tier challenger. Braun Strowman fits that role on a tee, and he can do so if he wins the SmackDown World Cup and set up a match against The Ring General.
The company should pull the trigger on the title switch and have the former WALTER move on to bigger things.
#1. Why Strowman shouldn't dethrone Gunther: It's too early for him to lose after just one mega title defence
Gunther's feud with Sheamus was simply spectacular and felt like a mega-world title rivalry. Such was the intensity on display that you'd have forgiven any result during their battles. It has undoubtedly been the highlight of a tremendous Intercontinental title run, which is why it shouldn't end anytime soon.
One amazing match is far from what fans deserve from a Gunther championship reign. He is a phenomenal in-ring worker who can be a workhorse champion for a long time.
As such, Braun Strowman can wait, because fans haven't had enough of the former NXT UK Champion's dominant run as IC champion.
The Ring General should have more Sheamus-like feuds before he moves on. Unfortunately, that means Strowman will have to take an L if he ends up winning the SmackDown World Cup.