Add as a preferred source on Google Gunther ended the careers of Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles in a span of just over six months, establishing himself as WWE‘s biggest “career killer.” In the months since, though, the company’s follow-up to that run has come under heavy criticism.
On a recent edition of the Bryan & Vinny Show, Bryan Alvarez ripped WWE’s creative direction for the Austrian, arguing the company hasn’t been able to turn those major wins into any real consolidation at the top of the roster.
“WWE booking-wise, it’s had its highs and lows, certainly, but I honestly think the biggest flop of this entire year has been the follow-up to Gunther retiring all these guys. And I mean, there is no follow-up.
And it’s like, okay, well, he’s got to be champion. He’s got to beat Cody [Rhodes]. Instead, he loses to Cody, then he loses to Cody twice in one night, and now he’ll be facing a GM at SummerSlam.
This is nothing against Nick Aldis, but Nick Aldis is the GM. Gunther did all of that to wrestle a SmackDown GM at SummerSlam.”
The criticism comes after three straight shots at the Undisputed WWE Championship. At Clash in Italy on May 31, Cody Rhodes retained the title in a controversial finish, with Gunther’s foot clearly under the rope during the count.
On the June 19 episode of SmackDown, Rhodes beat Gunther again, this time off a fast count from Sami Zayn. Then at Night of Champions, Zayn walked away with the title himself, rolling up Rhodes in a Triple Threat match. Gunther wasn’t the one pinned, but he once again came up empty on the championship.
As of now, though, a Gunther-Aldis match still hasn’t been officially confirmed for SummerSlam.