3 reasons why Gunther defeated Randy Orton to become King of the Ring

At King & Queen of the Ring 2024, the WWE Universe witnessed a historic clash as Gunther faced off against Randy Orton for the first time ever. In a thrilling and breathtaking showdown, the Ring General emerged victorious, defeating the Legend Killer to become the 2024 King of the Ring.

The fans' opinions on Gunther's victory were mixed. Many believed that he surely deserved this win, but they still wondered about Orton's loss.

In this article, we will discuss three potential reasons why the Imperium leader prevailed over Randy Orton and claimed the KOTR crown.

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#3. To make Gunther's entry in the main event scene

One reason behind Gunther's victory over the Viper could be to elevate him to the main event scene. Randy Orton is a multi-time World Champion and already has a decorated career, which makes it easy for him to gain direct title shots in the future. However, Gunther is transitioning into a main event star.

Defeating Orton to become the King of the Ring grants him a World title shot at SummerSlam 2024 and solidifies his position in the company.

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#2. WWE can still set Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for SummerSlam 2024

Being a superstar of Monday Night RAW, Gunther's victory will grant him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2024. This leaves WWE with the opportunity to still book the dream clash between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes despite Orton's loss. So this could be another reason why the company decided to let the Ring General triumph over the Legend Killer at King & Queen of the Ring 2024.

However, if Orton emerged as the victor, it might have been difficult for the Stamford-based promotion to position Gunther in a World title match at the Biggest Party of the Summer.

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#1. Gunther needs this victory more

Since making his return to WWE at last year's Survivor Series WarGames, Randy Orton has yet to secure any significant triumphs in the company. He even lost his last Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match at Royal Rumble 2024, where he wrestled Roman Reigns in a fatal four-way bout.

However, despite these setbacks, the Legend Killer still poses a great threat to the Ring General, who just had a record-breaking title reign. This makes it clear that tonight's victory was much more crucial for the Imperium Leader than for the Apex Predator, as a loss for Gunther might have led to him losing his momentum.

This could be another reason why the former IC Champion defeated Orton to become the King of the Ring 2024.