Gunther, formerly known as WALTER, had a dominant reign in WWE NXT UK for several years as the NXT UK Champion before moving to the United States, where he worked in NXT and was later called up to the main roster.
When Gunther went to NXT permanently, William Regal was already off television as the GM. The current AEW manager praised Gunther during the latest episode of his podcast, Gentleman Villain. He thinks Gunther perfectly understands his role in WWE.
“He knows what he is, and he sticks to what he does best. He doesn’t expose anything that he doesn’t know. He knows exactly what to do that’s got him to where he got to. He had a long time to figure it out. I remember him having a tryout and he hadn’t figured himself out at the time. once he figured it out — WALTER, now Gunther, he is the perfect heavyweight lion. A person that was a huge influence on my wrestling style, and in helping me, was my favorite wrestler to wrestle.”
Regal recalled how Terry Rudge taught him early in his career that all wrestlers should wrestle like a big cat – lightweights should be like a cheetah, middleweights like a puma, and light heavyweights should be like a tiger or a panther. Heavyweights should wrestle like either a lion, a tiger, or a cross between the two.
Regal stated that Gunther has perfected this mindset, which he believes makes him the perfect lion.
“If you think of the way a wrestler moves, the way he attacks, and the way — if you’re a good wrestler, it makes perfect sense. Well Gunther, as you say, has perfected being a perfect lion. He knows exactly how to be a lion… If you just think about the way a lion is, It’ll just stalk, prowl up and down, will swat if it has to, and when it has to sprint, it spreads and it kills, and if you look at him like that, you know, he’s figured out his perfect role. How to be a perfect lion. That’s what a really good heavyweight should be.”
Gunther is currently the WWE Intercontinental Champion. He made his most recent televised title defense last week on SmackDown against Ricochet.
Regal is a seasoned talent scout and knows a tough competitor when he sees one. He currently leads AEW’s Blackpool Combat Club faction, comprised of Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castignoli and Wheeler Yuta.
Quotes via Fightful
