Raw, WWE’s flagship show that Netflix paid billions for, comes to “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden, tonight.
Sounds like a big deal, right?
It should be.
New York and The Garden have long been considered WWE’s home. It’s the birthplace of WrestleMania, and this is a pivotal stop on the road to this year’s Mania, as several superstars remain stuck at the Greyhound station, waiting for a ride to Las Vegas and a spot on the card.
Among them is Gunther, last seen on the March 2 episode
of Raw, unmasking and humbling Dragon Lee. It’s been so long, you probably need a reminder of who “The Ring General” is.
Here’s his resume:
- Longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time
- Two-time World Heavyweight Champion
- Defeated Goldberg and John Cena in their retirement matches, forcing Cena to tap after years of preaching “Never Give Up”
- Retired AJ Styles
That’s Gunther, and he doesn’t have a match at WrestleMania.
While there may be an explanation for this, it’s still an indictment of WWE creative that a star of this caliber doesn’t have a major match, let alone any match, at the biggest event of the year.
Gunther deserved as much creative consideration for Mania as Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. That’s how monumental his win over Cena was, or at least how it should have been.
With less than three weeks until “The Showcase of the Immortals” and a stop at the storied Garden, one would expect WWE to deliver a major announcement or angle involving the Austrian powerhouse.
But if it doesn’t, then what? What will your reaction be? What might missing Mania mean for his future?
Which brings us back to the headline: “If Gunther misses Raw tonight…”
Finish that sentence in the comments section.
