The star who could dethrone Cody Rhodes, The Bloodline's next foe? - 4 Directions for Gunther if he moves to WWE SmackDown

Gunther is the man over on WWE Monday Night RAW. After winning the King of the Ring Tournament, The Ring General won the World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Damian Priest at SummerSlam.

There is no rest for the wicked, however, as Gunther has a major title defense coming up. He will put his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against the legendary Randy Orton at the Bash in Berlin Premium Live Event next weekend.

Interestingly, The Viper is a star on the SmackDown brand. As a result, if he wins the World Heavyweight Title, he will be moving to RAW full-time. What this likely means in return is that if Gunther were to lose his title, he would be moved to SmackDown as Orton's replacement.

If The Ring General moves to the blue brand, it would dramatically shake up his immediate career and SmackDown. This article will take a look at a handful of directions Gunther could take if he does indeed lose the title and move to the Friday Night show following Bash in Berlin.

Below are four directions for Gunther if he moves to WWE SmackDown.

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#4. He could challenge LA Knight for the United States Championship

LA Knight is an absurdly popular superstar. It is almost hard to believe that a little over two years ago, Knight was known as Max Dupri, but ever since Triple H took over WWE Creative, the reigning United States Champion has been on fire.

The Megastar is currently feuding with Santos Escobar and Legado del Fantasma. On the most recent episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, however, Knight defeated Escobar cleanly with the BFT. That could mean that their rivalry is ending.

If Knight is moving on from his feud with Legado del Fantasma, he will need a new opponent. Gunther could be the man to fight him. Plus, The Ring General has already had historic title reigns twice. Could he do the same with the United States Championship?

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#3. Gunther could feud with Giovanni Vinci

Giovanni Vinci is one of the most talented wrestlers in WWE, but many fans of the main roster may not be aware of it. While he has certainly had a fair share of bangers alongside Imperium, he has yet to truly show off his capabilities to the masses.

The talented Italian had a rough exit from Imperium a few months ago. Ludwig Kaiser brutally attacked the former NXT Tag Team Champion, and Gunther approved of the move. Since then, Vinci has been drafted to WWE SmackDown.

Vinci was unable to get revenge due to being drafted away from the blue brand, but now he has a shot if Gunther moves to SmackDown. A feud between Vinci and The Ring General makes a lot of sense from a story perspective, and it could be what elevates Giovanni to the next level.

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#2. He could step up to The Bloodline

The Bloodline has been the most dominant faction in WWE history. While Imperium under Gunther has had a lot of success, there is no denying the dominance that The Bloodline has had.

The current iteration of the stable is led by Solo Sikoa. He is joined by the unstoppable Jacob Fatu and the WWE Tag Team Champions Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. A Bloodline Civil War is expected, but Gunther could soon add an interesting wrinkle.

The Ring General is also known for being unstoppable. What could happen if Gunther stands up to the likes of Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu? Would he, too, fall victim, or would the Austrian star be able to take over SmackDown, just as he's taken over other brands before?

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#1. Gunther could clash with Cody Rhodes over the Undisputed WWE Title

Cody Rhodes has had quite the run since returning to World Wrestling Entertainment in 2022. He has won the Men's Royal Rumble Match twice, headlined WrestleMania twice, and even captured the Undisputed WWE Title by defeating Roman Reigns.

The Undisputed WWE Champion will put his belt on the line against Kevin Owens at Bash in Berlin. While Gunther may lose his belt to Randy Orton, it is highly unlikely that The American Nightmare will lose to The Prizefighter.

This could lead to Gunther challenging Rhodes for the prized belt. The two had an epic confrontation in the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble Match, and over a year and a half later, the pair could feud over the prized world title that Cody went on to win. Can The Ring General topple The American Nightmare?