Unlikely RAW star to cost Gunther his Intercontinental Championship at WWE Payback, turning face in the process?

Gunther's title reign should end at the hands of Chad Gable, according to the vast majority of the WWE Universe. The Alpha Academy star has earned his place on Monday nights, and the fans await his coronation.

Whether this will happen or not is up for debate, but all we know thus far is that The Ring General's toughest challenger to date is not yet done with him. It's not out of the realm of possibility to have their third encounter at WWE Payback on September 2.

While Ludwig Kaiser is getting a decent showing on the red brand, Giovanni Vinci is left cold often. The 33-year-old needs to step out of the Intercontinental Champion's shadow to make a name for himself. It is reminiscent of when Imperium debuted on Friday Night SmackDown in 2022.

During their early days on the main roster, Kaiser was nastily treated by Gunther, with many believing that the protege would ultimately turn on The Austrian Anomaly. However, things took an unforeseen turn, and with each passing day, The Ring General is being molded into the next major WWE Superstar. But where does Giovanni Vinci factor into all this though?

Chad Gable's victory over Gunther is a legitimate possibility, and it probably should happen at the cost of a member of the Imperium turning on its leader.

Vinci is the right guy of the two to make the face turn. It'd even be such a dramatic culmination of a monumental title reign to have The Ring General's stablemate stop him from breaking the record.

---

Gunther on adding more members to one of WWE RAW's top faction

The former NXT UK Champion has mentioned in the past that he wouldn't mind adding a female member to Imperium, name-dropping Charlotte Flair and IYO SKY.

However, when asked in general about a potential fourth member, Gunther ruled out the possibility. Speaking on Ten Count, The Ring General detailed why it does not need to happen:

"We get that question asked quite a lot to be honest, and I always have to give the answer, no, I think it's perfect how it is. I'm a big believer in never change a running system. I think too much in and outs can water a group down a little bit, if that makes sense. I think yeah, we're all together for a reason. Nothing's random there. We all are tightly connected in our private life too, especially with Kaiser," Gunther said. [H/T - WrestlingNewsCo]

While break-up stories are too common in WWE, some do not make a lot of sense all the time. However, Giovanni Vinci being left out could be a legitimate reason for him to break free from Imperium. Whether it becomes successful depends greatly on how Vinci is booked following the split.

Meanwhile, it'd be a great story for Gunther to invest in for the remainder of 2023 before he moves on to a heavily rumored WrestleMania showdown with Brock Lesnar, or any other high-profile match at the Show of Shows, for that matter.

---

Do you see Gunther walking into WWE WrestleMania 40 as the Intercontinental Champion? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!