Gunther has taken WWE by storm in less than two years, achieving several remarkable feats, from defeating formidable opponents to becoming the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion in WWE history.
Many WWE superstars currently praise Gunther for his championship accomplishments. However, the first superstar to appreciate him as a champion during his NXT days was WWE legend Shawn Michaels, back when Gunther held the NXT United Kingdom championship.
HBK labeled Gunther the “most dominant champion in WWE history”
Recently, WWE superstar Gunther has set a new record as the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion. The superstar has received appreciation from many WWE legends, including Chris Jericho, Sheamus, and many more, for his remarkable achievement. However, long before he adopted the name Gunther, he earned recognition from the Heart Break Kid of WWE when he was known as WALTER in the NXT brand back in November 2020.
During that time, WALTER faced Ilja Dragunov in a match to defend his NXT United Kingdom Championship. This match was exceptionally well-received by fans and is still considered one of the best matches in NXT history. A few days after the match, WWE released a reaction video featuring WWE legends such as Sheamus, Cesaro, Drew McIntyre, Wade Barrett, and Shawn Michaels. In the video, the Heart Break Kid complimented WALTER as one of the most dominant WWE champions in the squared circle, and other superstars were equally impressed by his performance.
Ilja Dragunov sees WM’s clash with Gunther as his “destiny”
Recently, while speaking on the “Hall of Fame” podcast with Booker T and Brad Gilmore, Ilja Dragunov stated that facing Intercontinental Champion Gunther at WrestleMania is his destiny, given their previous rivalry and in-ring personas. Ilja’s desire is quite reasonable, considering their past feud in NXT UK. Both superstars have contrasting in-ring characters, making them ideal opponents for each other.
In the past, when Gunther was known as WALTER in NXT, Ilja defeated him and won the NXT United Kingdom Championship. The reign period of Gunther at that time was a record-setting, but he was dethroned. On the contrary, he is the current longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. So there is still another chance for Ilja to repeat the feat he achieved in NXT.
Ilja Dragunov Says It His Destiny To Face Gunther At WrestleMania https://t.co/PkG7mMmVrk
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) September 24, 2023
“It must be Gunther. It must be him. There is no other choice. This is destiny, there is no other match that makes people feel this dimension of emotions that we both can produce, just because we’re directly opposites. There is not one person that has taught me more, not one person that has pushed me more and there is no one person that I can have a better match with on such a high level as WrestleMania,” said Ilja Dragunov.
Do you think Ilja will be able to take a shot at the Intercontinental Championship? Let us know in the comment section below!
