Gunther attacked Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes after Friday Night SmackDown. The attack makes it clear Gunther wants the WWE Championship. Many in WWE think a title change to Gunther is the right move right now.
Gunther’s momentum
Gunther has been one of the most dominant stars in WWE recently. He has been protected in big matches and has few losses. The article notes his only recent losses were to Jey Uso and CM Punk. He held the World Heavyweight Championship and beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 42.
He has also been part of high-profile moments where he forced longtime stars out of storylines. He is credited with “retiring” Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles in the last year. That run has made him feel like a nearly unstoppable heel right now.
Why beating Cody next makes sense
Cody Rhodes has been the company’s top babyface. He has defended the WWE Title against many big names, including Randy Orton, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre. Rhodes also beat Gunther once before, at Crown Jewel 2024.
But the piece argues that if Gunther loses clean to Rhodes now, it would hurt Gunther’s built-up image. Crowning Gunther as WWE Champion would continue his momentum and give the belt a fresh, strong holder. Later, a babyface can be built up and chase the title, making that eventual win mean more.
How Randy Orton could protect Cody
The story suggests a way to let Gunther win without making Rhodes look weak. Randy Orton attacked Cody after their WrestleMania 42 match with a punt. Orton has not reappeared in this program since, but a return to cost Cody the title would create a shocking moment while protecting Rhodes from a clean loss.
If Orton interfered, Gunther could win the WWE Championship while still giving Rhodes a reason to continue his feud with Orton. That sets up big TV moments and keeps Rhodes strong for the long term.
What this means for the title picture
If Gunther becomes WWE Champion, he can defend the title against many fresh challengers. Names mentioned as possible challengers include LA Knight, CM Punk, Ilja Dragunov, Carmelo Hayes and Oba Femi. Meanwhile Rhodes can step aside from the title for a while and work his own feud with Orton. Later, he could return to chase the championship again.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Gunther | Dominant run; World Heavyweight Champion; losses to Jey Uso and CM Punk; beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 42 |
| Cody Rhodes | Undisputed WWE Champion; defended vs top stars including Randy Orton, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre; beat Gunther at Crown Jewel 2024 |
Source: UFCcoverage
