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Roman Reigns is on top of the world in WWE and has been around for quite some time. The Tribal Chief came to the main roster as one-third of The Shield and became a top star almost immediately. Once the stable split up, he's been the most-pushed wrestler in the company on a constant basis ever since.
It could be argued that his original push didn't work out, or at least not to the extent it could have. But there's no denying that the run Roman has been on since returning to WWE in mid-2020 has been generational. His title reign in particular has been an all-time classic.
Reigns is the reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. He's held the Universal Championship in particular for close to 1,000 days. While many stars have come close, nobody has dethroned him yet.
Of all the wrestlers on the roster, Gunther may be the person who's being groomed to defeat The Head Of The Table. This article will dive into the possible reasons why Gunther could be the next champion.
Below are five signs that Gunther will be the one to finally dethrone Roman Reigns.
#5. He's a different kind of challenger to everybody else Roman has battled
Roman Reigns has battled a wealth of top stars since winning the Universal Championship in 2020. He won the belt in a match against Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt, but he's defended it against a wide variety of talented superstars.
The Tribal Chief has defeated the likes of Edge, Cesaro, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio, Logan Paul, Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, and Sami Zayn as champion. Despite the tremendous talent he's defeated, Roman is yet to beat somebody quite like Gunther.
The Ring General has a hard-hitting style, similar to men like Drew McIntyre, but his style differs from that of The Scottish Warrior's. He's technically like Daniel Bryan, but his style is far different from Bryan's too. Gunther is an entirely different kind of superstar who's a melting pot of speed, power, strength, and technique that may be tough for Roman to match.
#4. Gunther is seemingly being groomed to be the company's next top heel
Roman Reigns isn't just one of the top stars in WWE and professional wrestling. He's undoubtedly the top heel in the industry. His long-lasting title reign is proof of his stock in the industry.
Beyond just his impressive reign, Roman is always in the main event. He's also constantly doing dastardly and manipulative things to get ahead. Simply put, Reigns is a villain unlike anybody else in the business.
Still, if anybody is being groomed to be like The Tribal Chief, it's Gunther. His impressive title reign, use of Imperium, and arrogant attitude helps put him above almost anybody else. He's clearly being groomed to be the company's next top villain.
#3. The Ring General had a dominant win at WrestleMania 39
The Head of the Table had an all-time performance at WWE WrestleMania 39. The Tribal Chief won the biggest match in WrestleMania history, albeit with some help from Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman and The Usos.
The Universal Champion wasn't the only person to win big at The Show Of Shows, however. Gunther had a Triple Threat Match with his long-time rival Sheamus and Drew McIntyre and ultimately walked away as the victor.
Not only did Gunther win, but he won cleanly in an epic fight. That kind of match, the crowd reaction that came with it, and how Gunther was booked dictates that he's in line for a major push moving forward.
#2. Imperium could be the replacement needed for The Bloodline
The Bloodline is the most dominant faction in WWE. While the group has briefly appeared in the past, it truly became a major stable during Roman Reigns' incredible title run. Roman leads Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Paul Heyman, and at one point, Sami Zayn.
Gunther has a stable of his own. He leads Imperium, which is currently another top faction on WWE SmackDown. The Ring General is seconded by Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, a group with roots dating back to NXT and NXT UK.
While The Bloodline has been the top act in the company for years, it will eventually have to end, as all groups do. Once it does, Imperium may be slotted to fill the role. Given the slow push of Imperium, the promotion may be planning to have the stable be the second coming of Roman's legendary faction.
#1. He is seemingly on the path to break a major record held by a WWE Hall of Famer just like Roman often does
As noted, Roman Reigns has been an incredible champion. He's not far off from having the distinct honor of holding the WWE Universal Championship for 1,000 days. Only a handful of men can say they've done anything close to what Roman has, and none have done it in almost 40 years.
Gunther is potentially on his way to making history too. He is the reigning Intercontinental Champion, having won the belt on June 10th, 2022 from Ricochet. Ten months later, he's seemingly nowhere close to losing the title. In fact, he could hold it long enough to break a major record.
WWE Hall of Famer The Honky Tonk Man held the coveted Intercontinental Title for an uninterrupted 454 days straight. While Gunther is only closing in on a year, it looks possible that he could break the record. If he does, that's a clear indication that the company sees him as the other top guy besides Roman. It will make their eventual showdown inevitable.
