Gunther Face or Heel Turns

Gunther is a renowned professional wrestler from Austria. He is signed to WWE and competes on its RAW brand as of April 2025. The Ring General began his WWE career in NXT UK as Walter, holding the NXT United Kingdom Championship for a record 870 days, making it the longest reign for that title and the eighth-longest in WWE singles history. The 2024 King of the Ring winner is also the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, having held the title for 666 days. Before joining WWE, he wrestled on multiple independent circuits under the in-ring names Big Daddy Walter, Big Van Walter, Gha-cha-ping, etc.

Is Gunther a babyface or a heel?

Gunther is recognized as one of the top heel superstars in WWE as of April 2025. By maintaining this formidable heel persona, he won the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, defeating "The Viper” Randy Orton in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This victory earned him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, which he ultimately grabbed at SummerSlam 2024 by overcoming "El Campeón” Damian Priest. Upon winning the World title, the six feet four inches tall grappler defended it against several top names in the company. He will put the title on the line at WrestleMania 41 in a match against the 2025 Royal Rumble winner, Jey Uso.

Gunther On-Screen Character History

Gunther began shaping his villainous role early in his career in 2005, but it took on new meaning when he joined WWE through NXT UK. He quickly made an impact by defeating Pete Dunne and ending his 685-day run as champion. Gunther held onto the NXT UK Title for 870 days, successfully defending it against challengers like Dunne and Tyler Bate. His time as champion ended at NXT TakeOver 36, where Ilja Dragunov finally beat him to grab the championship.

After moving up to the main roster, Gunther continued to win matches and gain victories. He captured the Intercontinental Championship from Ricochet and held onto it by beating several challengers. His reign lasted 666 days, breaking the record set by the Honky Tonk Man and making him the longest holder of the title in WWE history. His time as champion ended at WrestleMania XL, where Sami Zayn defeated him to clinch the title.

Gunther Real Name

Gunther’s real name is Walter Hahn, and he was born on August 20, 1987, in Vienna, Austria. He started with a strong interest in wrestling, even as a kid. At 15, he gave soccer a try but later decided to leave it behind and focus on wrestling instead. He began his training in Vienna, learning from Michael Kovac and Chris Raaber, two experienced wrestlers from Austria. That’s where his path in professional wrestling began.

Gunther Ring Names

After training at Wrestling School Austria, Gunther began his wrestling career using the ring name Big Van Walter, a name he chose as a tribute to the American wrestler Big Van Vader. Since then, he wrestled in different promotions and used a few other names, such as Big Daddy Walter, Gha-cha-ping, Man Mountain Walter, Pater Walter, and later just Walter during his time in WWE’s NXT UK. Throughout his journey, fans have come to know him by nicknames like "Der Bulle aus Wien" and "The Ring General," which is also said in German as "Der Ringgeneral."