Gunther's record breaking title reign to end at WWE Crown Jewel 2023? Analysing the chances

On WWE RAW, Gunther is making a strong case for being considered the greatest Intercontinental Champion in WWE. Not only is the Austrian is in the midst of a record-breaking run as champion, but he has also swept aside challenges from the likes of Chad Gable, Tommaso Ciampa, and many others during his dominant reign.

While The Ring General got past Ciampa recently, many wonder who would be the former's next challenge. Given Ciampa, along with Johnny Gargano, will be locked in a rivalry against Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser most probably, a rematch between Gunther and Ciampa looks unlikely. Hence, WWE could book a 39-year-old to face the Intercontinental Champion at Crown Jewel.

While this 39-year-old might not only possibly face Gunther, but also have a great chance of beating him. The superstar in question is Sami Zayn. After Kevin Owens was drafted on SmackDown this week, Zayn will now have to pursue a singles career on RAW. Taking into consideration his popularity, it would only be fair for him to fight for the title.

Another reason why WWE could book Zayn to beat Gunther is because of the former's popularity in Saudi Arabia. While the angle is speculative, it will help find Gunther new opponents, and even a potential feud against Brock Lesnar, which would get him ready for the world championship by next year.

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WWE legend says Gunther is not a great technical wrestler

Since moving to the main roster, Gunther has experienced unparalleled success in WWE. From becoming the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion, to earning praise from several legends, the Austrian has garnered plenty of praise. While The Ring General is popular for his fearsome persona, many acknowledge him for his technical skills.

However, as per wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell, the reigning Intercontinental Champion is "not a really great technical wrestler." On a recent episode of Sportskeeda's Smack Talk, Mantell said while Gunther is not great technically, he makes up for it by overpowering his opponents. Mantell said:

"That's Gunther's whole deal. He's not a really great technical wrestler, but he just beats the cr*p out of you, which everybody in the world can relate to," Dutch Mantell said. [3:24 - 3:34]

Check out what Dutch Mantell said in the video below:

Whether Gunther is great technically or not, the Austrian's current run can't be ignored. Whether in the ring or on the mic, The Ring General seems to be dominating everywhere. It will be interesting to see when the 36-year-old would win a world championship in the Stamford-based promotion.