Surprising 33-year-old star to cause massive title change? 4 possible finishes for Gunther vs. Bronson Reed on WWE RAW
Another episode of WWE Monday Night RAW is now in the books. The show featured numerous exciting bouts, including Ivar vs. Kofi Kingston in a Viking Rules Match and a Triple Threat Match with championship implications.
Bronson Reed battled Ricochet and Chad Gable in a three-man bout. Whichever star would leave the victor earned themselves a title opportunity against Gunther. After a fantastic back-and-forth fight, The Colossal hit his Tsunami Splash on Ricochet, picking up the victory.
Big Bronson Reed will now challenge The Ring General for the Intercontinental Championship. Gunther is the longest reigning champion in the title's illustrious history, and many feel that he could lose the belt at any time. Now that he has to defend the gold next week, the title could change hands as soon as Monday.
This article will dive into the big-time bout scheduled for next week's edition of Monday Night RAW. More specifically, it will examine several ways the match could conclude. This includes a potentially shocking betrayal and title change. How could the clash of these titans end?
#4. Gunther may win cleanly
As noted, Gunther is the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history. He first won the belt after joining Friday Night SmackDown last year. Gunther defeated Ricochet to earn the title on the June 10th, 2022 edition of SmackDown.
In the year and one-third since then, The Ring General has successfully defended the belt 16 times on television or at a Premium Live Event. He has defeated the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Rey Mysterio, and Matt Riddle, among others.
Interestingly, Gunther defeated many of his opponents fair and square. Most heels in WWE have to cheat to win, but The Ring General often manages to succeed on his own. When the big Austrian battles Reed next week, he may beat Bronson fair and square, perhaps after hitting the big man with several chops or a top rope splash.
#3. Bronson Reed's power and size could overwhelm The Ring General
While Gunther has defeated numerous opponents to retain his coveted WWE Intercontinental Champion, he's yet to battle someone quite like Bronson Reed. The Ring General has overcome gigantic men like Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman, but Reed is different.
Big Bronson Reed is a monster of a man. While he isn't as tall as some of Gunther's victims, he's heavy with a low center of gravity. Not only that, but he's solid and shockingly agile.
When Reed and Gunther go one-on-one during WWE Monday Night RAW, The Ring General may not have an answer to the unique combination of skills Bronson brings. Above all else, if Gunther is hit with the Tsunami Splash, even the powerful Austrian would be unable to recover. Don't be shocked to see Bronson stand tall.
#2. DIY and Imperium could interfere, leading to a no-contest
When it comes to Gunther, an x-factor that must always be considered is his faction. Imperium is one of the best stables in all of WWE, and The Ring General leads it. Meanwhile, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci are also part of the group.
While Gunther can and often does win on his own, neither Vinci nor Kaiser are above interfering to help The Ring General win. As proven last week when the pair jumped Tommaso Ciampa, they're also open to attacking Gunther's opponent post-match.
There's a strong chance that the two will attempt to interfere on WWE Monday Night RAW. This could lead to DIY, a popular duo of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, to even the odds.
While Ciampa and Reed aren't friends, DIY has a bone to pick with Imperium. If both teams brawl around ringside, things could end up being thrown out, and the bout could be ruled a no-contest.
#1. Ludwig Kaiser could shockingly cost Gunther the win and receive a big WWE push
As noted, Gunther is the leader of the Imperium faction. While the stable is one of the best in WWE, they haven't been extremely successful. Gunther has been on top of the world, but neither Kaiser nor Vinci have won a title on the main roster yet.
However, Ludwig Kaiser may be the first of the two to go on to singles success. He's picked up some wins on WWE RAW and even had a unique and entertaining video package air this past week hyping him up. Unfortunately, he's also taken the brunt of Gunther's tough love.
Given all the attention Kaiser has been receiving lately, and Gunther's actions, Ludwig may shockingly betray his leader on RAW next week. If he attacks or distracts The Ring General, Reed could pick up a surprise win. From there, the future of the Imperium would be very much in doubt.