Bold claim: Gunther is quietly cementing a legacy that could redefine his place in WWE history. He’s one step closer to the ultimate bragging rights: retiring John Cena.
In a recent Raw, The Ring General advanced in the Last Time Is Now Tournament, edging toward Cena’s final opponent as Cena winds down on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event. This Friday on SmackDown, Gunther meets LA Knight, who punched his ticket by defeating Jey Uso on Raw; the winner earns the right to challenge Cena.
By marching forward in the tournament, Gunther adds another badge to his resume—Bloodline Hunter. The Austrian standout, a two-time WWE World Champion and the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in company history, overcame Solo Sikoa in a brutal, back-and-forth clash. Both heels tried to tilt the odds, but Gunther outlasted and outsmarted Sikoa and his enforcers, Tanga and Sikoa’s crew, for the win.
That result gives Gunther 2025 victories over Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and Sikoa. With Sami Zayn’s honorary Uce status factored in, Gunther has beaten him in 2023 and 2024 as well, bringing his total wins over Bloodline members to four.
Gunther’s dominance over the Samoan Dynasty and its allies evokes a historic parallel. In his prime, mixed martial artist Kazushi Sakuraba earned the moniker “The Gracie Hunter” after defeating four members of the Gracie family, including Royce Gracie.
WWE could craft a potential goldmine by casting Gunther as the Samoan destroyer. If he continues his current trajectory and demolishes Cena should they meet, a high-stakes storyline could emerge. While a victory over a 17-time world champion might seem excessive for an already established star like Gunther, a closer look reveals potential strategic benefits.
Despite his remarkable ascent, Gunther—formerly known as WALTER—has yet to fully collide with WWE’s absolute top tier. His most significant win to date came against Randy Orton at 2024’s Bash in Berlin, followed by a high-profile clash at Crown Jewel where he fell to Cody Rhodes, amid a dual world-champion scenario.
Apart from clashes with Drew McIntyre and Sheamus, much of Gunther’s success has come against upper mid-card competition. He has not yet been positioned on par with Rhodes, nor has he shared the ring with marquee names like Brock Lesnar.
A decisive victory over Cena could alter that trajectory. If WWE then pairs Gunther with Jacob Fatu for another high-stakes win, the stage would be set for a climactic, potentially blockbuster showdown with Roman Reigns—the Bloodline’s Tribal Chief, a figure Paul Levesque once likened to The Undertaker.
In 2025, Reigns helped elevate emerging talents like Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Introducing Gunther into that same echelon—perhaps in 2026—could recast him as WWE’s ultimate end boss, rewriting the power dynamics of the brand.
