4 reasons why Andrade should dethrone Gunther of the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Andrade is back in WWE. The former United States Champion left the Sports Entertainment juggernaut back in 2021. From there, he competed in All Elite Wrestling until his contract expired at the end of 2023.
In the weeks since then, fans were dying to see whether Andrade would return home to World Wrestling Entertainment or not. After weeks of anticipation, Andrade finally made his big comeback during the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble Match as an early entry in the bout.
If that was not exciting enough, Andrade appeared in a backstage segment during the latest episode of Monday Night RAW. He officially signed a contract with the red brand, much to General Manager Adam Pearce's delight and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis' disappointment.
Now that Andrade is on RAW, he will likely have many targets. Perhaps the most interesting one is the Intercontinental Champion Gunther. Not only should the two stars clash, but it could be argued that the returning star is the perfect person to dethrone The Ring General. Why should Andrade dethrone the Intercontinental Champion?
Below are four reasons why Andrade should dethrone Gunther of the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
#4. It would make Andrade a star immediately
Andrade first joined WWE all the way back in 2015. He first reported to the NXT brand where he became a top star. Andrade then joined the Stamford-based company's main roster in 2018 where he performed until he left the company in 2021.
In almost three years since then, Andrade has wrestled internationally and for the significantly smaller All Elite Wrestling. While any exposure on television is certainly beneficial, there are many WWE fans who may be new and never saw his prior run. There are certainly many people who never saw him in All Elite Wrestling.
To many fans, Andrade is an unknown commodity. By having the former United States Champion dethrone Gunther, he will instantly become a major star in the eyes of wrestling fans. To end such a historic title reign essentially puts a rocket to Andrade's back and will shoot him towards the top of the industry.
#3. Triple H likely wants to make up for Andrade's prior main roster run
As noted, Andrade's WWE career initially began with his time on NXT. While it was a somewhat slow start, the Mexican star eventually linked up with Zelina Vega and quickly went on to win the coveted NXT Championship and represent the brand.
Unfortunately, his main roster run left a lot to be desired. Vince McMahon did not seem to understand the talented performer. He did win the United States Championship and held it for around five months, but he was never truly a top star.
Triple H, who was responsible for Andrade's biggest push on any show or in any company to date, knew what the talented peformer brought to the table. The Game may want to make up for the lost time by immediately giving him a major win and an important championship as a make good for the past.
#2. It would allow Gunther to move on to the main event picture
Gunther is the reigning and defending WWE Intercontinental Champion. During the most recent episode of Monday Night RAW, The Ring General battled against Kofi Kingston in an epic bout. In the end, however, Gunther walked away as the victor.
As the champion, The Ring General has defeated numerous top WWE Superstars of both past and present. This includes the likes of Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, Mustafa Ali, and Drew McIntyre, among others. Still, he has mostly remained in the mid-card ranks.
Triple H and World Wrestling Entertainment officials may believe that it is finally time to move Gunther to the next level. In order to reach the next mountaintop, The Ring General needs to first lose the Intercontinental Title. Andrade winning could serve beneficial for Gunther almost immediately.
#1. WWE likely wants to avoid the Intercontinental Championship scene growing stale
Gunther defeating so many quality performers in WWE has led to one of the greatest title reigns ever. The Ring General has held the title since June 10, 2022, which means he has been champion for around 600 days now. That is the longest reign anybody has ever had with this particular belt.
Gunther's reign has been incredible, but at a certain point, it could become repetitive. He has defeated a bunch of opponents, some of whom on more than one occasion. To keep things fresh for the entire roster, the Intercontinental Championship, and for Gunther himself, a title change may be needed soon.
Andrade could be the one who steps up and dethrones Gunther before WWE runs the risk of making his title reign boring. A championship run as impressive as this one is virtually unheard of. The Stamford-based company should strike while the iron is hot instead of letting the reign burn out.
Do you want to see Andrade vs. Gunther soon? Sound off in the comments section below!