Gunther to reportedly take on 3-time WWE champion at Fastlane

Reigning Intercontinental Champion Gunther will likely defend his title at WWE Fastlane next month. The creative team seems to have found his opponent in a three-time WWE champion if reports are to be believed.

The Ring General has had a record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign. He has gone through several top names, including Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, to retain his title.

The Ring General was recently in a rivalry with Alpha Academy’s Chad Gable. The two men put on a stellar match with the title on the line, but Gable fell short of winning his first singles championship in WWE.

With Fastlane coming up, many fans believe that Chad Gable will get another shot at the title. However, a recent report by Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio states that Tommaso Ciampa will face the Imperium leader at the premium live event.

Ciampa recently helped Alpha Academy get the better of Imperium and has taken on its members in matches to get into a rivalry with Gunther. The two men are familiar with each other’s game as Ciampa challenged him for the NXT UK Championship at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver 2021.

While the former DIY member was unsuccessful at defeating The Ring General in NXT, he has a good chance of getting some revenge by ending the record-breaking Intercontinental Championship run.

The addition of Gunther vs. Tommaso Ciampa for Fastlane will help elevate the card and give The Ring General another premium live event stage to perform in.

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Gunther could get into a blockbuster rivalry for WWE WrestleMania 40

The Imperium leader currently has a couple of top competitors chasing him for the Intercontinental Championship. Chad Gable and Tommaso Ciampa are both excellent candidates to defeat the dominant IC Champion.

If they are unable to overcome The Ring General, then WWE could go for another big rivalry heading into WrestleMania 40. On Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine hosted by Mac Davis, Bill Apter explained that Cody Rhodes could be put into a rivalry against the Intercontinental Champion if Roman Reigns is busy in another program for WrestleMania 40.

"Cody, at that point, could after the Intercontinental Title if Gunther has it. Cody-Gunther would be a great program. Cody Rhodes is currently lying low in this Dominik Mysterio storyline, which I like, it's starting to become good with Judgment Day and Jey Uso or it could be Cody somehow mixing with Jey Uso against two of the people from Judgment Day. It's too early to say," said Bill Apter.

Check out the entire episode below:

The Imperium leader will likely hold on to his title for some time. That could lead to a great storyline between him and Cody Rhodes heading into WrestleMania 40.

Do you think Gunther should retain the Intercontinental Championship till WWE WrestleMania 40? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.