Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Randy Orton and Gunther have delivered two stellar matches at WWE pay-per-views. (Credit: WWE/Getty … [+] Images) Getty Images Randy Orton, for a second time, failed to topple Gunther, this time falling to the World Heavyweight Champion at WWE Bash in Berlin—and in resounding fashion. Gunther—who was born in Austria but became synonymous with indie wrestling in Germany—was able to overcome a valiant effort by Orton in Berlin, where he was a fan favorite despite being one of WWE’s biggest heels. As was the case at King of the Ring earlier this year when the two stars botched the finish of their otherwise tremendous bout, Gunther toppled Orton after an evenly matched bout that had the German fans on the edge of their seat. But this time, Orton passed out in a sleeper hold, leaving no questions about Gunther’s victory. ForbesWWE Bash In Berlin 2024 Results: Rhea Ripley And Damian Priest Dominate Mixed Tag MatchBy Blake Oestriecher One of the hallmarks of WWE’s booking under creative head Triple H is long-term storytelling, and it likely isn’t a coincidence that Orton and Gunther became involved in a red hot story with an endgame in mind. Had Orton’s shoulder not gotten off the mat at King of the Ring in Saudi Arabia, who knows what these two stars would be doing. But that actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, especially with numerous top Raw stars busy in other storylines or out of action with an injury. Gunther needed a marquee first rival as World Heavyweight Champion, and given that Seth Rollins is sidelined while other names like Drew McIntyre, CM Punk and Damian Priest are unavailable, “The Legend Killer” made the move to Raw to rehash their short-lived rivalry from earlier this year. And boy oh boy, did Orton and Gunther deliver with an incredible Bash in Berlin main event that helped solidify Gunther as a bona fide main eventer. MORE FOR YOU Apple iPhone 16 And iPhone 16 Plus: Everything We Know So Far FBI Issues Urgent Ransomware Attack Warning—Do These 3 Things Now Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Saturday, August 31 In an era in which high-flyers and risk takers are a dime a dozen, Gunther and Orton are two throwback wrestlers who could thrive in any era. Gunther—the most protected star in recent WWE history—has been so dominant as a champion across both NXT and the main roster that virtually any rival would feel, well, like they had no chance to beat him. Enter Orton, who took Gunther to the limit once again in Berlin, this time nearly finishing off “The Ring General” before passing out in Gunther’s brutal sleeper hold. Of course, this match was a bit of a booking pickle for WWE. On one hand, Orton is so popular right now that he shouldn’t be losing, especially not clean. On the other hand, Gunther shouldn’t be losing the World Heavyweight Championship just 28 days after winning it. That essentially forced WWE’s hand at Bash in Berlin, where Gunther needed to emerge victorious in front of what was essentially his hometown crowd. Triple H isn’t one to play a game of hot potato with titles, and though not every world title reign needs to be a lengthy one, the WWE Championship has been held by four different stars since WrestleMania 40. There is certainly something to be sad about a title changing hands too much, and WWE can’t risk that with a World Heavyweight title that’s still playing a game of catch-up to Cody Rhodes’ WWE Championship. Gunther, after elevating the Intercontinental title to its greatest heights in decades, is the perfect choice to do the same with Raw’s world title. Exactly what that means for Orton’s future is unclear, but “The Viper” is technically still a SmackDown star and one who looks like a surefire future opponent for Rhodes on the blue brand. Thus, it’s imperative that Orton continues to be protected even in defeat, as he was when he refused to tap out in Berlin. After seemingly booking himself into a corner, WWE creative head Triple H seems to have found a good way to move on from Gunther vs. Orton after Bash in Berlin—without Orton becoming champion. As “The Viper” shook Gunther’s hand in front of the champion’s unofficial hometown fans, Gunther now has the torch that Orton has carried for decades, and he’s precisely the right man to hold it. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Blake Oestriecher Following Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
