5 WWE stars who could step up to face Gunther at Backlash 2025
WWE Superstar Gunther lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41. The Ring General has gone rogue since then and also attacked the commentators, Michael Cole and Pat McAfee, on this week’s episode of WWE RAW. As the red-brand General Manager Adam Pearce deals with the situation, here are 5 stars he could field to face the Austrian at the 2025 Backlash Premium Live Event.
#5. Jimmy Uso could get his revenge
Ahead of WrestleMania 41, Gunther and Jimmy Uso faced each other in a singles match. A week before their confrontation on RAW, Big Jim had slapped The Ring General for disrespecting his brother Jey Uso. In return, the then World Heavyweight Champion heavily punished him during the match, locking him in a Sleeper Hold even after securing a win.
Mr. Yeet entered the arena to save his brother. While Gunther retreated temporarily, he blindsided Main Event Jey and zip-tied him to the ropes. Following this, he assaulted Jimmy Uso, making him bleed while Gunther painted his own torso crimson.
Although The Yeet Master avenged his brother by dethroning The Ring General via a tap-out to a Sleeper Hold, Big Jim may not be done with the Austrian. Thus, the OG Bloodline member could face him at the upcoming PLE.
#4. Sami Zayn may have another go at Gunther
Sami Zayn and Gunther have a long history. The Canadian star was the first man to pin The Ring General on the main roster to win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XL. This ended the Austrian’s legendary 666-day streak as the IC Champ. As the World Heavyweight Champion later on, however, the Imperium leader defeated Zayn in a title defense on RAW.
Sami Zayn has a lot of animosity towards The Ring General, especially after he insulted Bret “The Hitman” Hart in front of his fellow countrymen in Canada. Needless to say, the former World Heavyweight Champion may try to attack Jey Uso. Zayn can then stand as a barrier between the heel superstar and Mr. Yeet.
#3. Goldberg has a score to settle
While firing shots at Bret Hart, Gunther noted that his favorite wrestler was Bill Goldberg. However, at Backlash 2024, when the legend was watching the premium live event along with his family from the crowd, The Ring General noted that he would never idolize a wrestler as underwhelming as the WWE Hall of Famer.
The former World Heavyweight Champ even landed a personal jab by asking Goldberg’s son, Gage, if he was at least a good father, unlike his wrestling career. This infuriated Da Man, who jumped over the barricade to make the Imperium leader pay for running his mouth. The security officials, however, managed to keep them apart.
Interestingly, Goldberg has stated that he would be retiring this year. WWE could use the heat he has with Gunther to field the two in the ring at Backlash. The Ring General could go on to retire Da Man.
#2. Penta El Zero Miedo versus a man who makes his opponents fear him
Gunther is easily one of WWE’s most dominating wrestlers. Besides Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes is the only other man who has been able to pin the Austrian to win the inaugural Men’s Crown Jewel Championship. Additionally, The Ring General has held a championship for around eighty percent of his career in the Stamford-based promotion. This legitimately made his opponents fear him, including Jey Uso, till his brother was brutally battered.
Penta El Zero Miedo has the words “zero fear” in his very name. The lucha libre wrestler quickly established himself as an unstoppable force, staying undefeated in his singles matches. However, after a six-match winning streak and a no-contest, Penta finally lost his first singles match to Dominik Mysterio this week, owing to interference from a returning JD McDonagh.
While he failed to win the Intercontinental Championship, he could face the man who held the midcard title for the longest time, Gunther. A match against The Ring General at Backlash would allow him to gain more momentum on the main roster as well.
#1. Pat McAfee could request to face The Ring General
This week on RAW, Gunther was seen in a furious mood after his loss to Jey Uso. The Ring General came out to pick a bone with Michael Cole when the commentator highlighted that he had tapped out at WrestleMania 41. The Imperium leader caught Cole in a chokehold but had to let go when Pat McAfee landed a forearm on him to save his friend.
Security soon rushed out in an attempt to control the situation, but the former World Heavyweight Champion went berserk and caught McAfee in a Sleeper Hold for a long time. The commentator later left coughing and red-faced, unable to walk properly even several minutes after being released from the chokehold.
While McAfee was caught off guard this week, he could urge Adam Pearce to put him in a match against Gunther at Backlash. Thus, the commentator may seek to settle his scores with Gunther. It would be interesting to see if The Ring General makes it to the St. Louis PLE and who he would be facing eventually.