Gunther breaks character to praise two former WWE rivals

WWE Superstar Gunther recently stepped out of his on-screen character to compliment two of his former adversaries. Despite being a formidable in-ring competitor, The Ring General admitted to sharing great chemistry with these particular superstars.

Before joining the main roster, Ilja Dragunov ended Gunther's historic UK Championship reign in NXT UK. This intense rivalry showcased the two stars' exceptional talent and elevated them to main-event status in WWE. Elsewhere, Sheamus and The Ring General have also shared a fierce feud in the past.

Their feud ignited at Clash at the Castle 2022 when The Celtic Warrior unsuccessfully challenged The Imperium leader for the Intercontinental Championship. Most recently, the two men crossed paths in the first round of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, where the 36-year-old once again emerged triumphant over Sheamus.

Speaking on an episode of the Busted Open Radio, Gunther expressed that he believes he could easily connect with The Mad Dragon and The Celtic Warrior in the ring. The Ring General also praised his former rivals for their exceptional in-ring abilities.

"Ilja [Dragunov]. I have a few guys I really click with, and kind of in a different way bring it out of me. But Sheamus is definitely one that in WWE, I was like, 'That's the match you need to have first,' because that guy, he doesn't care. He just loves to lay it in. He just loves to feel it. And as long as that's in the right places, there's no issue with that," he said. [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]

Gunther on his dynamic with WWE Superstar Ilja Dragunov

During the same appearance on Busted Open Radio, The Imperium member spoke about his bond with Ilja Dragunov. Gunther stated that compared to Ilja, he was more experienced in his early career.

The WWE World Heavyweight Champion also mentioned that he played a role in mentoring The Mad Dragon, making their dynamic a combination of both mentor-protege and fierce rivals.

"I was ahead a little bit [in my career], but we wrestled each other, so [Dragunov] was kind of like a protege a little bit too. I helped him out a little bit. So it's a different dynamic that we have with that one," Gunther added. [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]

On this week's Monday Night RAW, WWE announced that The Ring General would defend his title against Randy Orton at Bash in Berlin on August 31.