Gunther

Gunther (fka WALTER) is possibly one of the biggest superstars in not just WWE but the entire industry. The previous statement isn't just about the Austrian wrestler's physique but also about how well he has been presented on WWE programming. The leader of the IMPERIUM stable has had the longest reign with NXT's United Kingdom Championship and is currently having the longest reign as intercontinental Champion in 34 years, which should be enough to tell one about the trust that Triple H and team have in The Ring General.

Gunther Professional Wrestling Career

Early Career

Gunther was born in Vienna, Austria, on August 20, 1987. He began raining with Michael Kovac and Chris Raaber, two well-known Austrian wrestlers, and immediately established himself as a skilled wrestler and began participating in numerous promotions across Europe. Gunther's first big accomplishment was winning the Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) Heavyweight Title in 2011. Now recognized as one of Europe's finest wrestlers, The Ring General went on to participate in wXw and other promotions around the continent.

NXT UK and NXT

Gunther signed with WWE in 2018 and joined their NXT UK brand. WALTER is not only his real-life name (Walter Hann) but also an abbreviation for "We Are Fans of Techno and Electronic Rave." The acronym was inspired by Gunther's love of electronic music, which he has described as a big influence on his wrestling style. WALTER made an immediate impression in NXT UK. In January 2019, WALTER made his WWE debut by defeating Jack Starz in a singles bout. The Ring General then moved on to have matches against other NXT UK competitors, including Pete Dunne, Joe Coffey, and Jordan Devlin.

One of Gunther's most memorable matches in NXT UK came against Pete Dunne at NXT TakeOver: Blackpool in January 2019. The match was an instant classic, with both wrestlers showcasing their incredible skills and putting on a thrilling display for the fans. Another standout moment for Gunther in NXT UK came when he formed Imperium, a faction consisting of Marcel Barthel (now known as Ludwig Kaiser) and Fabian Aichner (now known as Giovanni Vinci). This faction, which was based on the idea of traditional European wrestling, quickly became one of the most dominant forces in NXT UK. However, possibly the highlight of Gunther's career was his reign as the NXT United Kingdom Champion, holding the title for a record-breaking 870 days.

Gunther defeated Pete Dunne for the NXT UK Championship at NXT TakeOver: New York in April 2019. The match became an immediate classic, with both wrestlers exhibiting their exceptional in-ring skills and putting on an exciting show for the audience. The match's conclusion saw Gunther getting the win to become the first Austrian to ever hold a championship in WWE. Gunther went on to defend the title against a number of prominent NXT UK wrestlers, including Joe Coffey, Travis Banks, and Tyler Bate. He also defended the championship against wrestlers from other promotions, like as A-Kid and Ilja Dragunov. Gunther's match against Tyler Bate at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff in August 2019 was one of the most memorable moments of his time as NXT UK Champion. Gunther had another memorable moment as NXT UK Champion when he faced Ilja Dragunov at NXT UK TakeOver: Dublin in October 2020. The match was brutal and intense, with both wrestlers putting their bodies on the line for the NXT UK Championship.

When Gunther ultimately lost the NXT UK Championship to Ilja Dragunov in September 2020, fans all over the world were shocked. Even in defeat, Gunther established that he was one of the world's best wrestlers, and his run as NXT UK Champion will be remembered as one of the most remarkable in wrestling history.

SmackDown

After unsuccessfully challenging Bron Breakker for the latter's NXT Championship, Gunther finally made his way to WWE's main roster, joining SmackDown. WALTER was now renamed Gunther, with him being introduced to the ring by partner/manager Marcel Barthel, who was now named Ludwig Kaiser. The pairing clicked with the fans, and it wasn't long before Gunther was able to get his hands on some gold.

The Ring General would dethrone Ricochet to win the prestigious Intercontinental Championship, a title he has held ever since winning it. As the champion, Gunther has had some exceptional matches with Braun Strowman and Rey Mysterio, along with an all-time classic rivalry against Sheamus and The Brawling Brutes. WWE's decision to put the Intercontinental Championship on Gunther has worked wonders, with The Ring General putting in a lot of work to restore the title's prestige. With his match against Sheamus at Clash at the Castle receiving critical acclaim and the fabled 5-star rating from Wrestling Journalist Dave Meltzer, fans are excited to see the Intercontinental Champion face off against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 39.

Drafted to RAW (2023-Present)

In May 2023, during the annual draft, Gunther alongside Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci got drafted to Monday Night RAW bringing Intercontinental Championship to the brand. He defended his gold against Mustafa Ali at Night of Champions, against Matt Riddle at Money in the Bank, and against Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam. In the next few weeks, he feuded against Chad Gable but came on top at the end. However, his winning streak on the main roster came to an end at the hands of Gable when he lost via count out. In September 2023, he broke Honky Tonk Man's record of holding the Intercontinental Championship for the most days. He then retained the gold against Tomasso Ciampa and Bronson Reed in October 2023.

Gunther Net Worth

As per various sources, Gunther is worth around $3 Million in 2023. The former NXT UK Champion draws an annual salary of abour $300K from WWE.

Also Read: Gunther Net Worth 2023, Real Name, Salary, House, Car and more

Gunther Wife

During their time on the indies, Gunther started dating fellow wrestler Jinny Sandhu or simply Jinny. She is an English retired professional wrestler born on September 28, 1987, in London, England. She started watching wrestling at the age of nine and aspired to become a wrestler herself. She spent around six years in WWE from 2017 to 2023 making sporadic apperances throughout the period. Gunther and Jinny got married to each other in 2023.

Gunther's Championships and Achievements

European Wrestling Promotion

• EWP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael Kovac

Fight Club Pro

• Infinity Trophy 2018

German Stampede Wrestling

• GSW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Robert Dreissker

Over the Top Wrestling

• OTT Championship (1 time)

Progress Wrestling

• Progress Wrestling Atlas Championship (3 times)
• Progress Unified World Championship (1 time)

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla

• PWG World Championship (1 time)

Westside Xtreme Wrestling

• wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship (3 times)
• wXw World Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Robert Dreissker (1), Zack Sabre Jr (1), Timothy Thatcher (1) and Ilja Dragunov (1)
• wXw 16 Carat Gold Tournament (2010)
• wXw World Tag Team Tournament (2015) – with Zack Sabre Jr.
• World Tag Team League (2017) – with Timothy Thatcher
• Ambition 11 Tournament (2019)

WWE

• WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time, longest reigning)
• WWE NXT UK Championship (1 time, longest reigning)