Shelton Benjamin compares GUNTHER to a WWE legend.
As it stands, GUNTHER has been the Intercontinental Champion for over 580 days, with The Ring General now clear at the top of the list when it comes to longest reigns in the title’s history. Joining the main roster in 2022, his rise in WWE has been emphatic, and it’s still not clear as to who the man to dethrone him will be.
Most would perhaps call him the greatest Intercontinental Champion there has ever been, but when comparing him to previous title holders and WWE legends, not many would come up with Randy Orton. Yet, while speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, Shelton Benjamin remarked that GUNTHER reminds him a lot of the 14-time world champion.
“We were on different shows, so I never really got to work with him. I hung around with him, we met and chatted, and he seems like a really cool guy. He kind of reminds me of Randy [Randy Orton], to be honest. Just in his demeanor, his movements and even his build, to some degree. The first time I saw Gunther, he was like a hundred pounds heavier and I didn’t see the appeal, but I haven’t seen the appeal in a lot of people who turned out to be phenomenal. When he finally made it to WWE and started trimming down, you start to realize, this guy is leveling up so he can belong here. What they’ve done with him, what he’s managed to do, his look is straight out of a comic book. He looks the part. I don’t know him well enough to comment on his personality, but he’s always been nice enough and kind and I think he’s doing a phenomenal job. Yeah, I do feel like I need to go end that title reign, but that’s a different story [Laughs]. What he’s doing is great, but of the 2010s, I’m still the man. You can’t take the from me. I’m the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 2010s. Live with it, hate it, be mad, there is only one thing you can do and that’s deal with it,”
-Shelton Benjamin
As mentioned in the interview, Benjamin and Gunther have never been on the same brand, and, as such, have never shared the ring. The Austrian is going from strength to strength in WWE, and many fans are expecting The Ring General to be able to call himself world champion before too long.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Gunther and his title reign as we hear more.
H/T to Fightful for the transcription.
