"I didn't like watching it" - Gunther explains why he used to despise WWE
Current Intercontinental Champion Gunther says he wasn't a fan of WWE when he got into the wrestling business.
The Ring General is one of the most dominant superstars in the company right now. He's approaching two years on the main roster and has yet to lose a match via pinfall or submission. He is the longest-reigning IC Champion of all time, a record that was previously held by The Honky Tonk Man. The IMPERIUM leader was also the longest-reigning NXT United Kingdom Champion, a title that he held for 870 days.
During a recent interview with Steve Fall of WrestlingNews.co, Gunther stated that he didn't like watching WWE in the past, as the product was different from his taste in wrestling.
"When I grew up, as a wrestler not when I was a kid, but when I was wrestling and diving in deep and trying to get better and stuff. I don't know; I kind of despised WWE at that point because I didn't like watching it. I was focused on I want to be a wrestler, and I want to be...yeah. I want to focus on that athleticism, and everything around it was too much for my personal taste in that time," he said. [3:16-3:42]
Gunther comments on the difference between him and The Miz heading into their match at WWE Survivor Series
The Ring General is currently set to defend his Intercontinental Title against The Miz at Survivor Series.
Gunther continued the conversation by pointing out how different he and The Miz are, as they came from different backgrounds.
"I think in the internet wrestling bubble during that time, I don't remember what year it was, there was a sentiment towards the company that's programming right now is not really good and we don't enjoy it. And for me, Miz was always like the embodiment of that era, that feeling that I had. Nevertheless, to say it's obviously a big challenge for me because I'm not the typical WWE guy in that sense... On the other side, we have Miz, who is somebody who's a prime example of how effective that system can be and how successful," said Gunther. [3:42-4:33]
Nobody has been able to stop The Ring General on RAW or SmackDown. It'll be interesting to see whether The Miz will be the one to do so.
Do you think The Miz can dethrone Gunther? Sound off in the comments below!
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit WrestlingNews.co and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.