Since WrestleMania 42, Gunther’s spent a lot of time in and around the WWE title program and more recently has been working with the company’s most popular act (at least based on merchandise sales). Still, because that was preceded by World title runs and retiring future Hall of Famers, the narrative that’s developed around Gunther this year is that WWE is wasting him.
One of them men retired by Gunther, a cat by the name of John Cena, even said he “might agree” with that narrative.
But another future
Hall of Famer definitely doesn’t. Here’s The Miz from his appearance on WWE Radio’s Busted Open earlier this week (via Wrestling Inc):
“I think the way they’re utilizing Gunther…I cannot stand a monster that is just ‘Rawr rawr rawr rawr,'” Miz said. “It’s one note. Give me layers to a character. Give me layers. And this allows him to get another layer of hatred for GuntherR in a completely different way. The way he did AJ and Cena were incredible matches. Unbelievable matches. There is no one, I think, more talented, and people always talk about technical ability, but he is not only able to be technical in the ring, he’s able to listen to a crowd, understand his character, and know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
“Can he do it with everybody? And this is his test. This is another test for Gunther to showcase ‘Hey, I may be in this comedy thing, but I can still make it look real and effortless and technical and be still the menacing Gunther that I need to be without being ‘Rawr rawr rawr. I’m big, bad professional wrestler, hahaha.’ I love it. I love this…I could be wrong, I might be, but I love layers to a character.”
Miz is obviously not unbiased, in any way. He works for WWE, and has been involved with Danhausen… and much, much worse things than the Very Nice, Very Evil One during the course of his lengthy career there. But Miz has also persevered, survived, and thrived for decades as dozens of contemporaries fell out of WWE or the pro wrestling business entirely. So The A-Lister knows of what he speaks.
Does Miz’s positive take on Gunther/Danhausen change your opinion on Der Ring General’s recent booking? Or were you never worried about it in the first place?
Tell us below, Cagesiders.
