It may hurt some fans to hear this right now, but Chad Gable vs. Gunther should not happen at WrestleMania 40. Despite the calls for a change online, Sami Zayn is the right challenger. The call for WWE to finish the story is so overused. Fans could be forgiven for disliking perpetual good guy Cody Rhodes for introducing it.
Of course, fans should have the right to speak and discuss, respectfully, the show they are watching and what they like or dislike. Chad Gable vs. Gunther would have made for a good match and an exciting feud.
However, wanting an outcome that doesn’t come to pass doesn’t mean that the planned program needs to be corrected or is somehow wrong. Unlike with The Rock and Cody Rhodes, there was consistency in what WWE showed fans. Additionally, Gunther’s ultimate challenger is unobjectively the bigger star. Gunter vs. Zayn is the right call, which is okay for Chad Gable.
WWE needs to keep “WrestleZaynia” Going
The primary reason why Chad Gable vs Gunther should not happen at WrestleMania isn’t because of Chad Gable at all. It is because of Gunther’s confirmed opponent, Sami Zayn. After a joint main event with Kevin Owens against The Bloodline’s Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, Zayn was at his peak in popularity. Despite progressively less relevance on television, Zayn has maintained his fan support.
This outcome is impressive, given that he has lost far more than he has won in big moments. Until this week, though, the main eventer from numerous shows in 2022 and 2023 was without a match on what is already shaping up to be a full card.
Sammy to Sami 👏👏👏
Congrats on the huge win last night, @samizayn… next stop: #WrestleMania XL!
🎤: @SamanthaTheBomb pic.twitter.com/kgkN0YWC3J
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Chad Gable winning a preshow battle royal or reuniting with Otis or Akira Tozawa for a tag team title melee isn’t a downgrade. He has been firmly entrenched in that position for years and was in that position last year for WrestleMania 39.
Sami Zayn falling to that level would do incredible harm to his momentum, and it is hard to regain it. Gable has made himself a ton of new fans, and that is great. But he hasn’t had any momentum to lose in months. Only one of Gunther’s top opponents needs a marquee match this year, and that is who got one.
Not Enough Story for Chad Gable vs. Gunther at WrestleMania
Chad Gable did incredible work reigniting interest in his past trio of matches with Gunther. However, Chad Gable vs. Gunther shouldn’t happen at WrestleMania because we have seen the two of them before. Actually, we haven’t seen them enough to make it the best option. Until about a week ago, everyone would agree that Gable went back to doing next to nothing on Raw after he feuded with Gunther.
To his credit as a fantastic performer, he got people interested again. But long-term storytelling isn’t just about the extended length between story beats; it requires an actual story to be told. Chad’s story ended after three impressive bouts. He pushed a previously unchallenged Gunther to his limits, but that was the point.
Since November, Sami Zayn has been looking to prove himself. He has made it clear that his main event last year wasn’t a career peak but a starting point. The implication is that he is also looking to be his own man and prove Roman Reigns wrong; even without The Bloodline, he belongs on the “island of relevancy.” Despite being massively popular, that has yet to materialize.
In fact, his most significant moments before November were all Bloodline adjacent with Jey, Cody, and Drew McIntyre. Every week has been about Zayn returning to WrestleMania to prove he isn’t a one-off warrior.
Having a history is different from having a WrestleMania story. Without other options, history could lead to a compelling program. Still, the Zayn journey fits the plans and overall situation better.
The Intercontinental Title Finally Has Momentum
Chad Gable is a lot of awe-inspiring things, but “Future Main Eventer” is not one of them. This is, of course, the view expressed to fans over years of booking by WWE. He has thrived in the tag team division as a serious challenger and a comedy act. This recent run for Gable has made it much more likely that the perennial teammate will get a shot to go it alone.
However, the superstar, previously known as Shorty G, isn’t going to be the world champion. Gunther, on the other hand, is very likely to be WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion by August. The WWE’s new era has made great strides with Gunther’s reign.
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— WWE (@WWE) February 12, 2024
The Intercontinental title under Gunter and the new era has returned to its once-venerated status as the stepping stone championship. It is the title worn by future WWE Champions until their run at the top arrives. Sami Zayn was discussed openly by legions of fans as the best man to dethrone Roman Reigns after years as the head of the table.
It wasn’t his time then, but it goes without saying that he is almost ready to run with the top prize in the promotion for a while. All of the hard work Gunther and the creative team have put into the Intercontinental Title has been great, but just one success doesn’t rehabilitate a championship forever.
It needs people with star power who are holding and fighting for the title regularly. Chad Gable vs. Gunther should not happen at WrestleMania because Sami is ready now, but Gable is not.
Chad Gable Vs. Gunther Should Not Happen at WrestleMania 40
Hopefully, the Chad Gable story will be far from over. After Gable’s recent digital exclusive, his continuous drive for one more crack at the IC title, or underwhelmingly, the United States Championship, will resonate. His rise has already begun. He leads a group of misfits after consistently being “the Jannetty” to other stars.
He has pushed past the stigma of tag team specialist with several exceptional matches with not just Gunther but the entire Raw Intercontinental title division.
When the time is right, he will avenge this loss. When it happens, it won’t matter that he didn’t beat Gunther. It also won’t matter that it wasn’t at WrestleMania 40; honestly, WrestleMania 41 could be an even better card. As Rocky told Rocky Jr, “Going in one more round when you don’t think you can – that’s what makes all the difference in your life.”
That is Chad Gable’s underdog story. He comes close, picks himself up, and gets back out there again. Gable will get his Rocky moment and won’t need to be in Philadelphia to make it work.
