Gunther defeated Damian Priest at WWE SummerSlam 2024 to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. The latest episode of Monday Night RAW marked the start of a new era, as The Ring General made a statement, saying he is ready for everyone and everything as the new world champion.
It turns out he wasn't fully prepared, as Randy Orton shockingly came out to confront him. The Viper congratulated Gunther on his win but said he held that title only because of him. He referenced their match in the finals of the King of the Ring a few months ago, where Gunther emerged victorious in controversial fashion, as Randy's shoulder was up during the decisive pinfall.
Triple H had stated that the referee's decision was final but that Randy would receive a rematch. Orton told Gunther that he was cashing in his rematch and challenged him to a World Heavyweight Championship match at Bash in Berlin later this month. Gunther gladly accepted it, making the match official.
Here are three reasons why Randy Orton should defeat Gunther at WWE Bash in Berlin.
#3. Unpredictability
When Gunther pinned Damian Priest and became the World Heavyweight Champion, many fans believed that this would be the start of a lengthy title reign for The Ring General. This is a fair judgment, considering Gunther's pedigree and historical title reigns with the NXT UK Championship and the prestigious Intercontinental Championship.
However, WWE could decide to shock the fans at Bash in Berlin if Randy Orton beats Gunther for the world title, ending his reign within a month.
This would bring a new flavor of unpredictability to the programming and allow Gunther to fight back to the top.
#2. Gunther vs. Randy Orton Part III
On RAW, Randy Orton said he is the only guy in WWE who could match Gunther in the ring, counter for the counter, technician for the technician, smooth versus smoother. He added that their matchup could be a modern-day Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat. The fans are excited about this feud and want to see this rivalry continue even after Bash in Berlin.
Given his loss at King of the Ring, Randy Orton cannot afford another loss against Gunther if he wants to win the World Heavyweight Championship. WWE could possibly want to continue this feud for a third encounter, giving Randy Orton the win at Bash in Berlin.
With a short title reign and Gunther reclaiming his gold in the final match of their rivalry, Randy Orton could be the perfect move moving forward.
#1. Set up a major program for John Cena's WWE retirement tour
John Cena is currently tied with Ric Flair as the man with the most world title reigns in WWE history, with 16 each. Just behind them is Randy Orton, who is a 14-time world champion.
Cena will go on a retirement tour in 2025, and many fans have been clamoring for one last match between him and The Viper. WWE could spice things up by making that inevitable match with the winner becoming a 17-time world champion.
Randy will need a couple of title reigns before that, and hence, a brief run with the World Heavyweight Championship could serve that purpose.
It will be interesting to see what the Stamford-based promotion has planned for Bash in Berlin moving forward.