5 stars teased as Gunther's WrestleMania 40 opponent during WWE RAW
The latest episode of WWE RAW aired last night on the USA Network. The big show featured Cody Rhodes battling Grayson Waller in the main event and Becky Lynch having a face-to-face confrontation with Rhea Ripley.
The program was also notable for a running theme that took place throughout the show. Several top performers in World Wrestling Entertainment either outright proclaimed their goal of winning the Intercontinental Championship or teased it in some other way.
Gunther has been the reigning Intercontinental Champion for over 600 days. The Ring General first won the title all the way back in 2022, just a matter of weeks after joining the main roster. He has yet to be pinned or made to submit in the time since then.
Everybody is looking towards WrestleMania 40, and many people are wondering what The Ring General will do at the big show. This week's episode of RAW may have teased Gunther's opponent, but there are several superstars who it could end up being. Who did RAW tease as the current Intercontinental Champion's next challenger?
Below are five stars teased as Gunther's WrestleMania 40 opponent during WWE RAW.
#5. Damian Priest & #4. Dominik Mysterio, The Judgment Day threatened the Intercontinental Champion
One of the best matches of the week already took place when The New Day battled Imperium's Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci in a Street Fight on WWE RAW. Prior to the match, however, Imperium as a whole gathered in the ring, and Gunther cut a promo.
To the surprise of many, The Judgment Day came out without Rhea Ripley. Damian Priest, JD McDonagh, Finn Balor, and Dominik Mysterio had an intense staredown with Imperium, and interestingly, two of the members teased challenging Gunther for his WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Dominik was the most mouthy, spouting off at The Ring General, courtesy of having his teammates behind him. It was Damian Priest, however, who almost came to blows with the champion. Either of the two men would make for a completely fresh challenger for Gunther, but could either one manage to dethrone The Ring General? Only time will tell.
#3. Sami Zayn vs. Gunther was teased
Sami Zayn has been in a tough spot in WWE. He has had high-profile losses against Seth Rollins, Shinsuke Nakamura, Drew McIntyre, and Randy Orton in recent months. Thankfully, his luck may be turning around following the latest episode of Monday Night RAW.
The Underdog from the Underground went one-on-one with Shinsuke Nakamura again, and this time Sami was successful. Following his big win on Monday Night RAW, however, Zayn was interrupted by Imperium.
Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci first gave Sami glares, which then led to Gunther doing the same. This seemingly teased a future match between The Ring General and the Canadian star. Zayn has made it his goal not only to compete at WrestleMania but also to become a world champion. The Intercontinental Championship is not quite a world championship, but it may be his next goal.
#2. Bronson Reed seemingly wants a title opportunity
Bronson Reed is another superstar who has had some unfortunate luck as of late. He lost to Bobby Lashley in a qualifying match for the 2024 Men's Elimination Chamber. This led to the WWE Superstar missing the Elimination Chamber: Perth Premium Live Event in his home country of Australia.
The big man does have some good luck in his life, though, as he recently became a father. As a result, Bronson missed the latest episode of Monday Night RAW, but he was still featured in some way. General Manager Adam Pearce was seen talking to Reed on the phone.
During the conversation, Pearce alluded to the fact that a lot of wrestlers were saying the same thing to him, which is almost certainly that they want a shot at Gunther's Intercontinental Championship. Given the fact that another superstar popped in immediately afterward to request the same thing, this is a safe bet. Could the big man get a second crack at The Ring General? Only time will tell.
#1. Chad Gable gave a compelling case to WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce
The final WWE Superstar who teased challenging Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship during the latest episode of Monday Night RAW is arguably his greatest main roster rival. Chad Gable appeared backstage and gave a passionate plea to the RAW General Manager, Adam Pearce.
Gable mentioned that while he wanted to wrestle Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship, his desire to beat the man went deeper than a WWE title. The former Olympian pointed out how Gunther made Gable's daughter cry and belittled Chad and his daughter for it.
Chad is on a quest for revenge, and while every superstar featured on this list could be worthy of a title bout, it could be argued that Gable deserves it the most. This one is not just about money and fame. This is personal to Chad Gable.
Who do you think will eventually face Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40? Sound off in the comments section below!