Gunther was forced to lose weight by Vince McMahon? Exploring the truth behind his physical transformation

Gunther drastically transformed his physical appearance after he moved to the main roster, and some might think Vince McMahon was involved in this. However, the RAW star's weight loss could only be credited to him.

Gunther made his main roster debut in 2022 as part of the SmackDown roster, wherein Ludwig Kaiser joined him. Not only was Walter's name changed, but fans noticed his weight loss. Since there have been some instances where Vince McMahon asked superstars to change something regarding their physical appearance, many thought he was forced to do it. However, this was decided by the star himself.

While on Out of Character with Ryan Satin, Gunther revealed he decided to lose weight and was not influenced by Vince McMahon. The Imperium leader stated that he wanted to show that he could adapt and wanted to be more appealing.

"I kind of knew moving over that I was going to change some stuff, even though I didn't know exactly what it was. But I always thought like I have to do my part. I have to show that I'm adapting and I have to show that I put the work in for change. I think that was the most obvious choice [...] I will be more appealing and stand out more than looking like I looked the way before...I think if you're in the top league on national television every week and you want to represent the top tier athletes, you have to be in shape to do so."

The Austrian star is now the current Intercontinental Champion, and is close to breaking the record to become the longest-reigning IC champion. He was drafted to the RAW brand alongside Imperium's Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

How much weight did Gunther lose?

Imperium is one of the top groups in WWE today.

The 36-year-old has hit milestones and impressed many fans and officials in his main roster run. On the other hand, Imperium has also been making rounds in WWE. It goes to show that the champion's efforts have paid off.

In the same interview, the RAW star revealed he lost around 60 to 65 pounds. He added that he had always been a fan of big Japanese heavyweights like Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy, and more.

What is Imperium up to now in WWE?

The Ring General's group has made enemies in SmackDown, and this followed after their draft to RAW. Now, they are feuding with Alpha Academy's Maxxine, Otis, and Chad Gable. The IC Champion has even faced Gable twice, while Kaiser has set his sights on Maxxine.

Gunther's dedication to his character is seen not only in his presentation but also in his performances.