3 ways Gunther can still main-event WWE WrestleMania 40 without competing at Elimination Chamber
With WWE WrestleMania 40 just over two months away, the Intercontinental Champion could be cooking something interesting.
Five days before the Rumble, Gunther confronted current World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins on RAW and told The Visionary that he was coming after his title after winning the 30-man melee. However, he came up short of the win, thanks to the eventual winner, Cody Rhodes.
Moreover, with Gunther not being allowed to leave the United States for a while, there's no chance of him winning the Elimination Chamber to secure a World Title shot. Still, all hope might not be lost regarding The Imperium head's quest to main event, the Show of Shows.
But without a Rumble or Chamber win, how can Gunther challenge Seth Rollins? Here are three possible routes for that.
#3. Introduce and invoke 'Option C'
Ever since Triple H took over in 2022, WWE hasn't been shying away from mentioning other wrestling companies.
Moreover, having recently collaborated with TNA to bring Jordynne Grace over for a Royal Rumble appearance, the Sports Entertainment Giant seems to be on cordial terms with the Nashville-based promotion.
So, it would make sense for WWE to take a page out of TNA's playbook to book their WrestleMania 40 Night 1 main event. The page in question is 'Option C,' which involves a mid-card champion vacating their title for a World Championship shot.
Given that The Ring General has done a beyond tremendous job at elevating the IC Title, it's now prestigious enough for Adam Pearce to consider introducing Option C in WWE.
#2. Beat the Elimination Chamber winner in a one-on-one bout
In professional wrestling, there's a common saying that goes, 'To be the man, you gotta beat the man.'
Over the last year-and-a-half, Gunther has pinned multiple top names in WWE. From Drew McIntyre and Sheamus to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, the reigning Intercontinental Champion has beaten them all. In short, he's been an unstoppable force.
Yet, all his illustrious wins might not parlay into a 'Mania main event if he doesn't win the Elimination Chamber match. But what he could do to make his case stronger is decisively beat the winner of the Chamber match in a singles clash.
After all, a World Championship match featuring a challenger with stilted momentum doesn't sound too tempting, especially for such a grand stage. Thus, Adam Pearce might have to make the bout a Triple Threat by adding Gunther into the mix.
#1. Gunther proposes a winner-takes-all match to close out WWE WrestleMania 40 Night 1
There's no doubt that CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins would have been a generational program heading into WrestleMania 40.
So, it's fair to think that WWE has a next-to-impossible task at hand to book an even grander World Heavyweight Championship bout. Of course, Drew McIntyre and/or Sami Zayn would make for stellar challengers, but fans have already seen Rollins go toe-to-toe with them multiple times.
This is where The Ring General should step in. Of course, Gunther's mere involvement in the World Championship match would be a welcome move. However, WWE has the opportunity to raise the stakes even higher.
So, instead of the Night 1 main event being only for the top prize, it could have both the World Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships on the line. At the end of the day, there's no bigger way to close the night than by treating fans to a Winner-Takes-All banger.