'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAy+GET//EAB4QAAIBBAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQAEETEFBiES/9oACAEBAAE/AOe7E3jbxZPay4vBVkJNQmH36PuZ1uhGSGJzuv/EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEiH/2gAIAQIBAT8Asus//8QAGBEAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQISADH/2gAIAQMBAT8AYS0jm//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In the era of lengthy title reigns and infrequent defenses, Gunther has brought class to the Intercontinental Championship in WWE like never before.
Although, some of the previous holders of the prestigious belt may beg to differ the above statement. There have been many superstars over the years who managed to pull off matches that have a cult following. One of them is Shelton Benjamin.
While appearing on The Kurt Angle Show recently, Benjamin was asked to comment on the Austrian Anomaly and his run with the second oldest belt in WWE history. The latter will cross 600 days in less than two weeks.
"I don’t know him well enough to comment on his personality, but he’s always been nice enough and kind and I think he’s doing a phenomenal job. Yeah, I do feel like I need to go end that title reign, but that’s a different story [Laughs]. What he’s doing is great, but of the 2010s, I’m still the man. You can’t take the from me. I’m the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 2010s. Live with it, hate it, be mad, there is only one thing you can do and that’s deal with it," said Shelton. [H/T: Fightful]
Check out a fan reaction on X below:
Shelton Benjamin held the Intercontinental Championship for 244 days during the Ruthless Aggression Era in mid-2000s. His first tenure with the promotion was between 2000 to 2010, then from 2017 to 2023. Benjamin was released by WWE in September.
Can Gunther pick up the biggest win of his career at WWE Royal Rumble?
In January 2023, Gunther entered the Royal Rumble at the number-one slot. He managed to overcome every other WWE Superstar, before, ultimately, getting clotheslined over the top rope by the winner: Cody Rhodes. The Ring General wants to rectify that as next Saturday marks a full calendar year since last year's Rumble.
"-> Royal Rumble -> Wrestlemania," Gunther wrote on Instagram.
Gunther joins the tough and competitive lot of wrestlers in 2024 who are looking to punch their ticket to WrestleMania 40. This includes some heavy favorites such as CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and perhaps even The Rock.
Is Gunther a wild card Royal Rumble pick? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
