We’re back again with another eWrestlingNews Discussion of the Day! With WWE SummerSlam 2024 in the spotlight this week, it’s only right we focus on The World Heavyweight Championship match in which Damian Priest is set to defend his title against The Ring General and reigning King of the Ring, Gunther.
Today’s enquiry is: “Is it time for Gunther to beat Damian Priest?” I’m not asking if he will win but if he should win. If you were in the driving seat and calling the shots, would you give Gunther the title?
Please share your perspective in the comments below.
As for my viewpoint…
Definitely, Gunther should emerge victorious. In fact, I almost posed this question from the angle of “Can Gunther recover from a loss?”
In truth, this isn’t the match-up I envisioned for SummerSlam. I’m not convinced WWE had this in mind more than a couple of months ago either. Regardless, this is where the pendulum has swung.
I would not have rushed the announcement that the King & Queen of the Ring champions get title shots at SummerSlam, instead allowing that narrative to unfold over a few months. Gunther lost some impetus in that period, and in my opinion, the decision to transition Priest to a babyface role was not quick enough, as it’s still not cemented.
A Priest vs Finn Balor match would have been my booking of choice, scheduled post The Judgment Day split, and ahead of Money in the Bank. Alternatively, I would have slated Priest vs. Balor for SummerSlam, with Gunther getting his chance to vie for the title at Bash in Berlin.
The regular WWE strategy of late wherein challengers lose their inaugural title shot, secure victory on their second attempt, and then achieve the title, should not be repeated here. Gunther must not lose at SummerSlam after cooling his heels subsequent to his King of the Ring win, only to then reappear to contest at Bash in Berlin.
Gunther deserves an outright win given the ups and downs he experienced this year. While his reign as Intercontinental Champion ended at WrestleMania, he reclaimed momentum by clinching the King of the Ring title. A defeat here might derail his progress unnecessarily.
Despite sizable fanfare and investment in Gunther, WWE has not capitalized on his popularity. Allowing him to lose momentum would be detrimental to his future viability as a top contender.
Give Gunther a clear victory and a strong opponent at Bash in Berlin, rather than a rematch against Priest. Concurrently, allow Priest to complete his babyface transition, delayed already, and enable him to engage with new adversaries. With Balor presumably primed to challenge Priest at WrestleMania, I maintain that this too is an error, but time will tell.
In response to our original inquiry – Should Gunther win? Without a doubt. With a dearth of contenders for Priest to square off against if he were to retain the title, except perhaps Balor, it doesn’t seem logical for Balor to be the next champion.
What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below!