Brock Lesnar vs. Gunther - 2 reasons why Brock should end Gunther's undefeated streak and 2 he shouldn't
WWE WrestleMania 39 is looking good from afar. The card is apparently set in stone for the most part, even for Gunther and Brock Lesnar.
One of the blockbuster matches the company has planned, according to reported recent rumors, is pitting WWE's resident Beast Incarnate, the Conqueror of the Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania Streak, and former 10-time World Champion (for a second, I turned Paul Heyman there) against the rising star and current Intercontinental Champion.
While the news first broke, it may have been a surprise to many, as this match wasn't easy to predict a while back, with rumors circling around about discussions made internally for Drew McIntyre to challenge for the workhorse title at Mania.
Now that we are nearing that time of the calendar year to officially kickstart the road to WrestleMania, Brock versus Gunther seems like a plausible scenario. Moreover, it is a fresh and intriguing matchup. Whether the bout will be for the Intercontinental Championship remains to be seen, with Braun Strowman in the background looking to snatch the title away.
Read on as we look at some reasons why the Cowboy should hand The Ring General his first loss in WWE and why he shouldn't.
#4. Why he should: To relieve Gunther off the burden of being "undefeated"
@DanialZuraidi @WWE @Gunther_AUT @wwe_kaiser @ShinsukeN Gunther is an old school wrestler, a guy who went undefeated for 870+ days as NXT UK Champion, he believes in punishment for losing
Brock Lesnar is one of the most accomplished WWE Superstars on the roster. While he doesn't need the win, perhaps a loss to the Beast is what Gunther needs.
Oftentimes in the past, a wrestler's "undefeated streak" ended up working against them. Throughout Bill Goldberg's first run between 2003-04, his matches had a predictable nature. Thus, every time the company was forced to book him in a multi-man match, the chances of him losing also became clear. This had a negative impact on his bouts.
Whereas somebody like Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton has had the capacity to take losses and yet bounce back easily owing to their star power and overall awesomeness. This layer made their matches more interesting to watch.
Asuka's undefeated streak was recently ended by Charlotte Flair at Mania 34, and Braun Strowman was handed his first loss by Roman Reigns at Fastlane 2017. Both of these were ill-advised bookings, with Strowman's loss happening on a throwaway PLE with no build-up.
In Gunther's case, however, a loss to Lesnar wouldn't be the worst decision in the world. A massive first loss to Lesnar on The Grandest Stage puts him on the hunt for the first time, which is an intriguing story for WWE to bank on.
#3. Why he shouldn't: If done right, their match can be a one-and-done deal
This can be HUGE!
#WWE #Gunther #BrockLesnar https://t.co/yuF0sKIJxc
We have seen many combinations of wrestlers put together to produce multiple matches. Then there are some that are just one-and-done deals, adding significance and rarity.
Daniel Bryan versus Triple H and CM Punk versus Brock Lesnar happened only once, and the quality and remarkable nature of those bouts turned them into classics. In turn, John Cena versus The Rock was stripped of this aura when the company went ahead with "Twice in a Lifetime."
If Gunther versus Brock is a one-off, then The Ring General has to go over and exuberate his dominance.
#2. Why he should: Brock Lesnar is the new Intercontinental Champion
Since his debut in 2002, Brock Lesnar has been a force to be reckoned with. He is a former 10-time world champion, having never held an undercard belt.
Whilst to even hear the sound of it, Brock Lesnar: Intercontinental Champion is a bit off, there is a certain degree of intrigue to it, as is the possibility of new challengers who could step up to the Beast.
It not only boosts the absolute relevance of the championship, assuming Reigns will remain the undisputed WWE Universal Champion post WrestleMania, but Lesnar as champ is a fresh image in and of itself, much like him dancing to the beat of his newly won MITB contract.
It could make for great television, even with Lesnar's part-time status. Gunther, as the IC champ, is currently also following a similar pattern despite being a full-time wrestler, having matches of high-quality as and when a worthy challenger steps up.
#1. Why he shouldn't: Gunther's first WrestleMania, and because his undefeated streak must continue
work hard, work smart, whatever is necessary! https://t.co/ouOulsPLTx
This entry goes against the first one, but here's why this scenario makes reasonable sense as well.
Gunther made his debut on the main roster on the 8 April episode of SmackDown. In two months captured the Intercontinental Championship from Ricochet, and has held the gold ever since. So far, he has only had one substantial long-term feud, and what an enthralling one that was.
Gunther versus Sheamus at the Castle has a rewatch value, and their faction warfare at Extreme Rules a month later was action-packed fun. He has since had an underrated match against Rey Mysterio and is awaiting former champion Ricochet's challenge this week on SmackDown.
Braun Strowman is next in line, and personally, it doesn't seem like the right time to have him lose the belt, not to The Monster Among Men.
The Ring General walks into WrestleMania as champ and walks out with his reign intact, which will be a great parallel to Roman Reigns' world championship reign. It opens up a money match between the two wrestlers on a future date and allows more worthy challengers to step up, with one deserving wrestler finally dethroning the dominant champion.
Sound off your opinion on who should win this dream match should it take place at WrestleMania 39 in the comments section below.