Retired star to make surprising return, title change - 5 finishes for Gunther vs. Madcap Moss for the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown

WWE SmackDown is set to be a big show this Friday. The program will feature the final build towards Elimination Chamber 2023, which will air live on Saturday from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The blue brand will feature many top stars in the promotion, but one bout, in particular, has raised some eyebrows. Gunther will be defending his Intercontinental Championship against Madcap Moss on WWE SmackDown in one of the more surprising and fresh matches available.

Moss managed to defeat Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, and Karrion Kross in a Fatal-Four-Way match on last week's show to earn the opportunity, much to the surprise of many. This puts him in line for arguably the biggest bout of his entire career.

What will happen when Moss attempts to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship? Can the athletic star shock the world, or will he become yet another victim in Gunther's incredible championship reign? Could a surprise return add more intrigue to the bout? This article will dive into a handful of the ways the match may end.

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Below are five finishes for Gunther vs. Madcap Moss for the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown.

#5. Gunther may defeat Madcap Moss cleanly on WWE SmackDown

Gunther has been on an absolute tear since joining WWE SmackDown last year. In fact, he's been on a roll since first joining World Wrestling Entertainment altogether. While on NXT UK, he had the longest-reigning United Kingdom Championship reign of all time, and he's looking to replicate that success again.

The powerful Austrian is already one of the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champions of the modern era. He could go on to break records with the title at the rate he's going. Given his success, Madcap Moss could end up being just another victim when they clash on the blue brand.

Gunther has a variety of moves he uses to defeat opponents. From his chops, to a big splash, to a powerbomb and beyond, he has the tools to decimate Moss. When the two big men go at it, Gunther could, and probably will, win cleanly by pinfall.

#4. Imperium could interfere on behalf of Gunther on WWE SmackDown

Fans may choose to write off Madcap Moss as a challenger, but he's not going to be an easy opponent for Gunther by any stretch. The chances of winning appear to be slim, but he'll undoubtedly give Gunther a great fight.

The Ring General often has a wrestler's best match or close to it. Some of Butch, Tyler Bate, Sheamus, and Ilja Dragunov's best matches came courtesy of Gunther. With that said, while he wins often, he doesn't always do it alone. He often has assistance from his Imperium stablemates.

Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci are loyal, almost to a fault. They will help Gunther whenever necessary, including on WWE SmackDown. If Madcap pulls off, gaining enough momentum, they may find a way to distract or even attack Moss. Doing so will allow Gunther to pick up the scraps and retain his title.

#3. Madcap Moss could shock the world and become Intercontinental Champion

As noted in the previous entries, many fans aren't expecting Madcap Moss to win the Intercontinental Championship. A look at Twitter will show many in the WWE Universe asking why Moss of all people won, some even citing it as a predictable win for Gunther.

There's certainly a high probability that Gunther will defeat Moss when they clash, but the fun part about pro wrestling is the surprise factor. Anything can happen. Santino Marella shockingly defeated Umaga once. Despite not having much momentum, Madcap is a big, jacked, and explosive star. He could pull off the upset.

Gunther may charge into Madcap, hit the buckle, and then get rolled up for the three count. Moss could also hit a small package or backslide. Regardless of exactly how it happens, he may get a quick pinfall victory over Gunther and leave the Intercontinental Champion with The Ring General shocked.

#2. Emma could shockingly interfere and help Madcap win

Prior to Emma returning to WWE SmackDown, she spent years away from the company. Despite that, she still found herself with ties to the company. Most notably, she began dating Madcap Moss in real life.

Not long after the two became a public item, the Australian star returned to World Wrestling Entertainment. They've since been paired together on-screen, a move that made sense given their real-life natural charisma. They haven't had much luck yet as a duo, unfortunately. Still, Emma could prove to be a deciding factor in the upcoming bout.

While Moss and Emma portray babyfaces, an interesting wrinkle could see the 33-year-old cheat to help Madcap Moss win the Intercontinental Championship. It could be played off as Moss not knowing she did it or even a plot the two orchestrated together. Either option is intriguing.

#1. Jinny could return from retirement and help her real-life significant other win on WWE SmackDown

Jinny was one of the top female stars on NXT UK for quite some time. Her mic work and personality always shone through, and she was, in many fans' eyes, ready to be moved to NXT in the United States or even to the main roster.

Unfortunately, the talented star delt with an ongoing concussion issue that has ultimately led to her retiring from the ring. As far as fans know, she's done with pro wrestling for the foreseeable future. There's a chance, however, that she'll still get involved in a big way.

She could end up appearing on WWE SmackDown and fight off Emma, or even serve as a distraction to Madcap. This will allow Gunther to defeat Moss and officially establish her as a member of the Imperium moving forward.

Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi