Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. This edition will focus on Gunther’s latest defense of his record-breaking Intercontinental Championship against The Miz. The match to crown the best WWE Intercontinental Champion ever is happening at the 2023 edition of WWE Survivor Series.
Gunther and The Miz will settle a debate on who is the best WWE Intercontinental Champion ever at WWE Survivor Series on Sunday (November 25, 2023). During his 530+ day reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther has solidified himself as the most dominant holder of the title ever. Nobody has held the gold as long as Gunther.
Best WWE Intercontinental Champion Ever
He faces The Miz at Survivor Series in a match that, initially, might not pique interest. But this contest is the most interesting story told during Gunther’s epic reign. The Miz is an 8-time WWE Intercontinental Champion. Only Chris Jericho has held the championship more times (9) than The Miz. During his title reigns, The Miz has emotionally spoken about his desire to make the IC Championship the most relevant and prestigious in all of WWE.
If The A-Lister beats the Austrian, he will tie Jericho’s record for most title runs. It truly is a battle between the two best WWE Intercontinental Champions of all time. The most dominant in terms of length of reign vs. number of reigns. There’s no chance WWE could coax Jericho back from AEW for this showdown, so you have to give the company credit for telling this story.
Intense Road To Survivor Series
The Miz won a fatal four-way match to earn his shot at Gunther on Raw a few weeks ago. Gunther admitted The Miz was one of the greatest ‘sports entertainers’ WWE has ever produced when speaking on WWE’s The Bump. But also claimed the A-Lister was in the Fall of his career and disrespected his principles by holding a talk show in a wrestling ring.
“The Ring General” further referred to The Miz as a clown who holds minimal wrestling skills. Gunther said the match would put to bed who was the best WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time.
Miz Honors Former Entertaining Champions
The Miz responded to Gunther on Monday Night Raw this week. He said was proud to be an entertainer. Miz added that the Intercontinental Championship was synonymous with entertainers such as “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, and Bret Hart. Miz said he would beat respect into Gunther. Gunther replied that Miz didn’t belong in the ring but in the crowd. Watch the climax of the intense showdown below.
Gunther’s 2023 Title Reign
Following a breakout year in 2022, when he won the IC Championship, Gunther has swotted aside all challenges in 2023. Gunther’s successful retention of his WWE Intercontinental Championship on WrestleMania 39 Night 2 was viewed by many as the match of the night.
Gunther saw off both Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in a bout that celebrated the progression of European wrestling. This was a hard-hitting, fast-paced, and exhilarating contest. It was, without a doubt, Gunther’s best match this year and potentially his crowning moment so far. The Wrestling Observer gave it five stars.
A dominant victory over Mustafa Ali followed at Night of Champions. McIntyre got a solo shot at Gunther at SummerSlam in August. The “Scottish Warrior” came up short, but the two put on another fantastic display. Gunther’s bout with Matt Riddle at Money In The Bank was a rare miss. The match was good but fell short of the extremely high standard we’ve come to expect from Gunther.
Gunther spent the Fall churning out exceptional main event IC Title defenses on Monday Night Raw. His contests with Chad Gable were particular high points. But his matches with Bronson Reed and Tommaso Ciampa were also up to a high standard. The Wrestling Observer awarded all of the most recent three matches 4 1/2 stars.
Conclusion: Can The Miz Evole Into A Record-Breaking Champion?
The Miz claimed his longevity was due to constant evolution over his 20-year WWE career. So far, we have seen just one side from Gunther. The Miz will have to make one more evolution to beat Gunther and grab his record 9th Intercontinental Championship reign. Long criticized for being ‘a soft worker’, The Miz will need to evolve into a hard-hitting, strong-style wrestler if he stands any chance of defeating Gunther.
Both men have taken polar opposite approaches to restoring the prestige of the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Only one will come out on top and be universally recognized as the most dominant of all time. Will it be the Austrian wrestler or the sports entertainer A-Lister?
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