Major championship unification match, challenge top star - 5 things Gunther can still do at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 will air this weekend, and fans are turning out in droves to check out the show. Montreal's own Sami Zayn will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in his hometown against Roman Reigns in a sold-out venue live on Peacock.
That's not all, however. WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 will also feature a mixed tag team bout featuring Edge and Beth Phoenix, Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley, and two Elimination Chamber Matches. The card is totally stacked.
One name notably not involved with the show, at least currently, is Gunther. The reigning Intercontinental Champion hasn't been announced for the show but will instead defend his belt against Madcap Moss on Friday Night SmackDown.
With a major title defense one night prior, The Ring General may not appear on the WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 Premium Live Event at all. Still, there's a chance he could be added to the show to make a stacked card even better. If he is added to the lineup, what might Gunther do?
Below are five things Gunther can still do at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023.
#5. He could defend his Intercontinental Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
The most obvious option for what Gunther could do at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 involves his coveted Intercontinental Championship. He's held the belt for months now, first capturing it not long after joining the main roster last year.
Since winning the belt, The Ring General has turned away numerous challengers. Former world champions such as Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, and Braun Strowman have gone down to the Austrian. Beloved favorites such as Shinsuke Nakamura and Ricochet have also tried and then failed to dethrone Gunther.
Whoever the IC Champion could potentially fight at the big show would have an advantage. For starters, The Ring General wouldn't have much prep time. He's also set to defend his title on SmackDown the night prior, and a defense in Montreal could be catastrophic for his title reign.
#4. Gunther could attempt to regain his title if he loses it on SmackDown
Can @MadcapMoss become the NEW Intercontinental Champion this Friday on #SmackDown or will the historic reign of @Gunther_AUT continue? https://t.co/xHDnfgrq8Q
When discussing a possible Intercontinental Championship defense at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, fans are overlooking the fact that Gunther may not even be the champion come showtime. In fact, he may lose his title on Friday Night SmackDown.
The Ring General is set to go one-on-one with Madcap Moss. While Moss hasn't had much championship success outside of the 24/7 title, he has raw potential and could pick up an upset when the two stars clash on the blue brand.
If Gunther does end up losing to Madcap Moss, the two may have a rematch the following night. Fans would be shocked to see Moss as champion and even more surprised if he then lost it back to Gunther in Montreal.
#3. He could have a championship celebration at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
While Gunther could appear at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, there's no guarantee that it would be in a wrestling capacity. The big show already has five matches scheduled, at least three of which will likely go 30-40 minutes each, especially with any post-match shenanigans.
The Ring General doesn't necessarily have to compete to appear on the program, though. Instead, Gunther could appear backstage or even in the ring to celebrate himself and his Intercontinental Championship reign.
Gunther would likely be joined by his Imperium stablemates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. They could celebrate and acknowledge his impressive reign as champion.
Who knows, they could even be interrupted by somebody which could set up a major WrestleMania bout.
#2. Gunther can confront Brock Lesnar at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
Would you like to see Gunther vs. Brock Lesnar at #WrestleMania? 👀
#WWE #Gunther #BrockLesnar https://t.co/OtPmJst9qV
A superstar could confront Gunther and challenge him for a big WrestleMania bout, but there's also a chance that The Ring General could be the one who does the challenge.
Following the 2023 Royal Rumble, most fans agree that there's one major dream bout for the powerful Austrian.
Gunther had a staredown with Brock Lesnar in the Men's Royal Rumble Match. While the two only briefly came to blows, many fans are now salivating at the thought of the two powerhouses clashing.
Given that Brock Lesnar is set to have a major match against Bobby Lashley at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, Gunther could make his WrestleMania intentions clear as soon as the bout ends.
Supposing Lashley and Lesnar's issues end when the bell rings, Gunther could have a staredown with The Beast and even point to the big sign.
#1. He can challenge Austin Theory to a Unification Match for WrestleMania Hollywood
2022 was the year of unifying championships. The NXT Cruiserweight Title was unified with the North American Championship. Roman Reigns unified both the Universal and WWE Championships at WrestleMania. The RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles faced the same fate soon thereafter, as did NXT UK's major championships.
Given the trend last year, Gunther may aim to do the same in 2023. He could show up and stare down whoever holds the United States Championship following the six-man Elimination Chamber Match and challenge him to a unification match at The Show of Shows.
Austin Theory is set to defend his belt inside the structure against Bronson Reed, Seth Rollins, Damian Priest, Johnny Gargano, and Montez Ford. While any of the superstars could win, Gunther's clash with Theory, who has arguably been the face of the United States Title for the past year, could be extremely intriguing.