Gunther reveals why he was hesitant to sign with WWE (Exclusive)
Gunther recently opened up about why he was hesitant to sign with WWE in the beginning, as he was more inclined to technical wrestling.
The Ring General was initially rumored to be disinterested in joining the global juggernaut. However, the 35-year-old finally signed on the dotted line with the promotion in 2019. After becoming the longest-reigning NXT UK Champion, Gunther joined the main roster in 2022. He's now merely days away from becoming the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time.
In a chat with Sportskeeda Wrestling, the Imperium leader stated that the Stamford-based promotion was more sports entertainment-centric that is why he was reluctant to join WWE.
Gunther recalled that he grew up watching Japanese wrestling and was more drawn toward the technical aspects of the sport. However, he added that he eventually joined the promotion as it seemed like a natural evolution to him.
"To be honest, it was one of the reasons why he distanced myself from WWE for so long, why I hesitated when everybody from Europe got signed. When I started training and digging into wrestling, I always watched Japanese wrestling. All Japan and more sports-based stuff than the entertainment aspect. But over time, I think it's a normal evolution." [From 04:26 to 04:57]
Check out the full video below:
Gunther compares himself with Drew McIntyre
Elsewhere in the chat, Gunther spoke about his SummerSlam 2023 opponent Drew McIntyre. The Ring General feels while The Scottish Warrior was taller and heavier, he possessed more endurance and raw strength. He added that this dynamic could result in an entertaining match at the Saturday show.
"So if we compare Drew and me, Drew is one of the few ones who's a little bit taller, that is a bit heavier. I think I'm technically better and, maybe, endurance-wise. Maybe I'm a little stronger too. So those are the factors that would play a big role for me. I think it's gonna be interesting." [From 02:15 to 02:38]
GUNTHER vs Drew Mcintyre, if given the chance, could be one of WWEs best matches this century.
#WWE pic.twitter.com/qqh8jWXxho
It remains to be seen if McIntyre dethrones The Ring General or if the latter defeats him and closes in on becoming the longest-reigning IC Champion.
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Fans in India can catch SummerSlam 2023 on August 6th exclusively on WWE's broadcasting partner, Sony Sports Network.