All is new for Gunther heading into the new year. Along with his new nickname, “Career Killer,” Gunther has four new T-shirts for sale now at WWE’s online store, WWE Shop.
One is straightforward, reading “Zerstörer” — German for “Destroyer.” Another uses the same word but adds impact with a black-and-white image of Gunther chopping John Cena in the chest during what was billed as Cena’s final match. A third tee reads, “Gunther Will Make You Tap.”
The standout, however, may be the fourth design. It
shows Gunther with a sleeper hold locked in as Cena struggles to escape. Across the bottom reads “Tap Like A…” — a clear callback to Gunther’s claim that he made John Cena, the man who never gives up, “Tap out like a little bitch.”
Despite the concept, the shirt feels drab and uninspired — and oddly inaccurate. By showing Cena fighting the hold instead of tapping, it undercuts the message.
A bolder choice would have been a neon, Cena-style design featuring an animated Gunther forcing a smiling Cena to tap in the sleeper, with “Just Tap Out” printed below in the same font as Cena’s iconic “Never Give Up” tees.
Then again, while that design would be a license to print money, it would likely soften Gunther’s edge. On Monday’s Raw, Gunther gleefully reminded fans that he made Cena tap. It was enough to keep his heat — but probably won’t help boost his merch sales, especially with tees this cold.
