Why did WWE exclude Gunther vs. Chad Gable from Payback 2023? Exploring potential reason

Over the last few weeks on WWE RAW, the feud between Chad Gable and Gunther has been a massive talking point. Last week, Gable became the first man in two years to beat Gunther in a singles match, albeit via countout. This victory by the leader of Alpha Academy generated a lot of interest in this feud.

However, despite fans talking about Gunther vs. Gable on social media, the match has not been booked for WWE Payback. Instead, Gunther will defend his Intercontinental Championship on RAW after Payback. This decision has left many fans wondering why WWE did not book the match at the event.

While there could be several reasons behind it, one reason could be WWE views this match in a similar light as Becky Lynch versus Trish Stratus. The Stamford-based promotion probably gave importance to other matches, which led to this match not being booked.

Also, Gunther will break Honky Tonk Man's record of becoming the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion a few days after RAW next week. Hence, the story won't be affected in any way. While fans would have loved to see Gunther vs. Chad Gable at Payback, the match still holds a lot of importance.

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Gunther addressed his loss to Chad Gable on RAW

Last week, when Gunther faced Chad Gable on RAW, many expected The RIng General to get past the latter with ease. However, that did not happen. Instead, Gable put on a brilliant performance and won the match via countout. While Chad Gable could not win the title, he became the first man to beat Gunther since the latter's main roster debut.

Naturally, this is something Gunther wouldn't have wanted. After the match, the Austrian spoke to Jeff Snyder and addressed his defeat. Speaking about the importance of winning, Gunther said that he plans to win and remain champion.

"I'm definitely taking pride in my title reign. Ever since I came to the main roster, it didn't take too long until I got my hands on the Intercontinental Championship. Since then, I can leave my own mark and legacy on the title and in the same process, building my own legacy. I've been doing it my way, the way I've always expressed myself in the ring, I'm still doing that and that's something I'm very proud of, obviously. Wins and losses in wrestling are something different than in other sports, but in my situation, it's very important to win because I plan to stay Intercontinental Champion."

Next week on RAW, Gunther will have a tough task at hand when he faces Chad Gable. Compared to all the opponents he faced in the past, Gable has given Gunther the most problems. It will be interesting to see if The Alpha Academy leader can stop Gunther from breaking Honky Tonk Man's record next week.