Damian Priest vs Gunther does not need to be about "class"

Damian Priest and Gunther are set for a major match at SummerSlam. The latter has continued his rise to power on the WWE main roster, while the former has served well as champion under the pressure where many thought he would fail. It’s a match that should have many interesting story elements, but WWE has hung its hat on the match being about “class.” It’s a sudden storyline shift that has left people raising an eyebrow in concerning ways.

Damian Priest has excelled in his run as champion. Heading into WrestleMania, he was firmly in the background of the WWE Raw title picture, almost out of place even though he held the Money in the Bank. The transition of him surprising Drew McIntyre to cash-in was well down and sent him down a path as champion that has worked much better than many expected Now, his story brings him face to face with Gunther as he deals with the ramifications of issues within Judgment Day – which is a ripple that will probably play into the outcome.

Gunther is a beloved performer. His run on the main roster has mostly been without eyeroll-inducing angles, but rather a wrestler who wanted to do nothing else but be the best. He put on stellar matches with anyone put in front of him and did so at a time when the company needed it. It made sense that he’d be the guy to rebuild the mid-card scene and eventually become a champion himself. He was so successful that fans immediately forgot some of the lingering questions about the overall Imperium gimmick and his name shift to “Gunther” which drew comparisons to Nazi signaling.

However, it almost seems like Triple H couldn’t help himself to make a shift within this angle that hints at disturbing racial and class dog whistling. Gunther suddenly started attacking Priest for his upbringing, working his way out of a meager background to become the wrestler that he is today. Michael Cole played up the match to be about “class” and Priest openly talks about what he went through to get here. While that is a compelling story, why does it have to be presented on television in this fashion? In a way that reminds people of a tired play out of a long-used WWE playbook.

This comes right as the Damian Priest WWE 24 documentary is dropping and will be defended as a way to promote that release. But it still feels lazy. Some are even comparing it to the much-criticized promo that Triple H cut on Booker T decades ago. The infamous “People like you” promo that earned Triple H skepticism among Black fans continues today.

The question is why this is the story shift to sell this match. It’s not necessary at all. Damian Priest versus Gunther will be an exceptional wrestling match from start to finish simply because these are two of the best performers on the roster doing what they do best. Fans were already invested in the angle, especially with the added layer of Judgment Day’s fallout on the horizon. Even with Ludwig Kaiser injured, Gunther’s aura was enough to slot him perfectly into the main event scene. But now, he’s become a typical WWE heel, going for the cheapest of heat checks that are played out from years ago.

There are a lot of ways WWE can tell impactful stories to build interest in matches. Damian Priest versus Gunther already had the fans' attention, but the company decided to make a shift to talk about class, privilege, and more between the two men. It is unnecessary and raises concerns that WWE will continue to use the same tired tropes when it comes to stories with performers of color.