WWE is nearing WrestleMania 41 and there are a number of interesting storylines developing. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and CM Punk are embroiled in a heavy feud. Naomi and Jade Cargill are at each other’s necks while Bianca Belair finds herself facing Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky. Cody Rhodes and John Cena have all the focus around their pending battle as well. Jey Uso and GUNTHER are set to battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but there are growing concerns about this angle. One such is that if GUNTHER loses another big match at WrestleMania, his stock stands to take heavy damage.
When GUNTHER first signed with WWE in 2019, it was understandable that many fans had concerns about how the company would use him. As a part of NXT and NXT UK, Gunther was presented as a monster heel, decimating several on his way to the main roster.
His first Survivor Series performance aside, that trend continued on the main roster. He’d snag the Intercontinental Championship and held that for 666 days, before capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship shortly after. That run is 233 days as of this writing and counting.
That “and counting” seems to be coming to a head at WrestleMania 41. Jey Uso is majorly over with the WWE Universe, and Royal Rumble winners rarely lose when heading into the WrestleMania title shot. However, Uso should be one of those rare individuals to lose.
Again, Jey Uso is the definition of popularity in WWE. Popular in a way that gets people to their feet whenever his music hits. WWE took the time to make adjustments to his presentation and promos which have helped build his character, but there’s still a struggle to see him as the one to defeat Gunther. Why? Because Gunther’s title run has left a lot to be desired.
After picking up the championship in August, Gunther has five title defenses to his name. The last of which happened back in January, when he defeated Uso at Saturday Night’s Main Event. None of these matches saw the same type of fan response as several during his IC title run. Even while Gunther was a “heel” during his IC title run, his character was based on the fact that he sees professional wrestling as a sport that deserves respect, the respect that he gave every time he stepped in the ring. The World Champion version of Gunther feels like a shell of that man. Almost like WWE is pushing him in the direction of the throwback foreign heel from decades ago.
WWE needs to rebuild Gunther's moment with a victory
Heading into WrestleMania 41, Gunther has a 1-1 record. He defended the IC title in a great match against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 39, before losing that same title to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40. Seeing him take another loss, this time to an individual who doesn’t feel like a long-term WWE singles champion does not sit well for his immediate future.
Where would he go from there? The Monday Night Raw title picture is stacked with Rollins, Reigns, and Punk right there on the cusp of title contention. Gunther doesn’t feel like he’d fit in on SmackDown either, but that main event scene seems set for the rest of 2025 if John Cena picks up the victory at WrestleMania 41. He absolutely should not go back to the midcard scene, as he’s proven that he can carry that lot for as long as necessary. He’s a main event player and should be treated as such.
Gunther versus Jey Uso is a championship match that will not main event WrestleMania 41. There are too many other important feuds set for the show. The fact that is the expectation shows just how “strong” Jey Uso is as a contender, and how well Gunther has been booked as champion. If he drops another title in back-to-back WrestleManias fans will be right to show concern.