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Gunther recently set the record to become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion all time, surpassing The Honky Tonk Man's reign of 453 days.
The Austrian Anomaly's reign has been spectacular. He has single-handedly restored prestige into the Intercontinental Championship, and many consider his run better than that of Roman Reigns' 3-year plus World Title reign.
The slew of unforgettable in-ring classics the former NXT UK Champion has provided us has elevated the quality of his IC Title run.
On that note, let's look at the top 5 matches of Gunther's record-setting Intercontinental Championship reign.
Disclaimer: The list is not exhaustive and strictly represents the views of the author.
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#5. Gunther (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: SmackDown (August 12, 2022)
This hard-hitting classic occurred early during The Ring General's IC Title reign. Shinsuke Nakamura had slowly been gaining momentum in the preceding weeks, with victories over the champion's fellow Imperium teammate, Ludwig Kaiser.
This match showed off Nakamura's tremendous striking prowess against Gunther's technical proficiency and strength. The King of Strong Style tested the champion with vicious knee strikes, kicks, cross-arm submissions, and triangle chokes.
After avoiding a Kinshasa with a wicked lariat, The Austrian Anomaly drop-kicked Nakamura and planted him with a Powerbomb to secure the victory.
This was a wonderful bout, worthy of closing out SmackDown. Nakamura was a solid contender for the IC Title, and he did a good job of putting his opponent over.
#4. The Ring General meets The Master of the 619: SmackDown (November 4, 2022)
After persistent humiliation by his son and Judgment Day, Rey Mysterio jumped ship to SmackDown looking for a change of fortunes. The Hall of Famer won a Fatal-Four Way to become the next Number One Contender for the IC Championship.
This was a huge mismatch, but the underdog wasn't one to back down from a fight. The masked luchador pulled out all the stops in an endearing effort, nearly beating Gunther with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb.
Mysterio kicked out of Gunther's own Powerbomb, but the champion caught him with a boot, followed by a wicket mid-air lariat to retain the IC Title.
Their contrasting styles created an entertaining bout with numerous close calls, making the title match one of Gunther's toughest challenges.
#3. The Austrian Anomaly impresses in his debut at WrestleMania Goes Hollywood
Gunther had his debut WrestleMania match this year. He defended his prestigious IC Title against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat match. Considering the similar styles of these three warriors, the fans expected a fight and they received an all-out war.
There was nothing pretty about this match. SoFi Stadium was rocking as three of the hardest-hitting stars on the planet tore each other apart. Some of the highlights included Gunther and Drew McIntyre trading chops in the center of the ring, The Scottish Warrior taking flight to take out Sheamus, and Titus O'Niel's amazing commentary.
The conclusion was also well-executed. After breaking up a pinfall with a Splash, the champion Powerbombed Sheamus on top of McIntyre's neck, before following it up with another bomb on the latter for the victory.
The Triple Threat Match was universally praised for its brutality and high-octane action.
#2. The Ring General vs. The Celtic Warrior at WWE Clash at the Castle
This was Gunther's first title defense at a premium live event, and the former NXT UK Champion didn't disappoint Cardiff. At WWE Clash at the Castle, The Ring General and The Celtic Warrior pulverized each other in a hard-hitting five-star bout.
We had never seen someone manhandle Sheamus like the 36-year-old Austrian did in Cardiff. From chops that rocked Wembley Stadium to body slams on steel steps, The Celtic Warrior took a tremendous amount of punishment, but he fought through the pain.
The Ring General received twenty-plus beats of the Bodhran and a High Cross, but he won the match with a wicked lariat. The crowd loved every bit of the match, as shown by the standing ovation given to Sheamus.
#1. Gunther vs. Chad Gable: RAW (September 4, 2023)
Who would have ever thought that the underrated Chad Gable would prove to be Gunther's toughest opponent? From lasting 5 minutes against the champion to defeating him via count-out, The Austrian Anomaly's IC Title reign was in serious jeopardy as he faced Gable this week on RAW.
This may be the modern version of Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle. Gable, with his amateur wrestling background, used his technical prowess and athleticism to wear down the former NXT UK Champion, who used the power game and sheer brutality to silence his opponent.
The ankle lock was as close as one could have gotten to getting the champion to tap out, and the live crowd thought that Gable was going to pull off the unthinkable. However, Gunther persevered, much to the chagrin of the WWE Universe.
The match was so good that both men received a standing ovation backstage.
Who would you like to see break Gunther's record-setting reign? Sound off in the comments section below.
