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Following a rather surprising battle royal victory on tonight's episode of RAW, Mustafa Ali is going to Night of Champions. He will face Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship in Saudi Arabia.
Considering his status as a free agent, fans might be confused over why Ali will be challenging The Ring General. However, there are multiple explanations for WWE's big decision. It is a solid piece of booking as we head into the premium live event.
Here are three reasons why Mustafa Ali won the battle royal on RAW and will face Gunther at Night of Champions.
#3. Muslim representation in Saudi Arabia
WWE generally caters to local audiences whenever they travel for premium live events, with Sami Zayn and Zelina Vega getting spotlights in Montreal and Puerto Rico recently. Furthermore, the Saudi Arabia shows have generally featured a local hero in a match. That man used to be Mansoor.
However, mån.sôör's current character as part of Maximum Male Models might not be too popular among his countrymen. As a result, while he isn't Saudi, Mustafa Ali can step in and give the local fans someone to root for at Night of Champions when coming up against the big bad foreign heel in Gunther.
Ali is a proud Muslim and even detailed his experience of performing Umrah in Jeddah during the month of Ramadan. He will likely be incredibly over on May 27.
#2. The next step for Mustafa Ali's positive persona
Mustafa Ali's push isn't solely down to WWE going to Saudi Arabia. The company has been building him as a positive figure amongst the chaos of RAW, always maintaining an optimistic attitude no matter the circumstances.
This persona was initially perceived as annoying, but recent weeks have seen a shift for Ali. He has won quite a few matches lately, including against both members of Alpha Academy.
The former police officer has momentum heading into Night of Champions. Hopefully, Mustafa Ali's character will evolve further after May 27. He has the talent to remain a prominent name on RAW or SmackDown.
#1. Another great Intercontinental Title defense for Gunther at WWE Night of Champions 2023
The main reason that WWE is giving Mustafa Ali such a spotlight at Night of Champions is that he will most likely deliver an epic performance. He is one of the company's best in-ring workers, with a high-flying style that is easy to get behind.
So, while representation and positivity can land the opportunity, Ali has the chance to become a mainstay in WWE's midcard title scene. He and Gunther will look to have a classic Intercontinental Championship match in Jeddah.
The Austrian's track record against smaller wrestlers is excellent. Gunther has had great matches against Ricochet and Rey Mysterio, among others, which indicates his match against Mustafa Ali will be at a similarly high level. The Saudi crowd will be wild for the challenger, too, creating quite the atmosphere.
However, the chances of him winning the IC Title are pretty low. Expect Gunther to remain the champion as he edges closer to breaking The Honky Tonk Man's record of 454 days.
