Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship Reign Might Soon End as 29-Year-Old NXT Star Is Pitched to Join WWE SmackDown

After a stupendous run at NXT as Walter, WWE superstar Gunther changed his name and made his main roster debut in April 2022. Since then, the 35-year-old Austrian is yet to lose a match. He currently holds the record for being the longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion in 34 years, having won the belt on 10th June last year.

However, his unbeaten streak is at risk of coming to an end after a recent rumor pertaining to the WWE draft made the news. According to reports, one of Gunther’s formidable foes is set to graduate to the WWE main roster. The new superstar is likely to give the 6-ft 4-inch Austrian a run for his money.

NXT star Ilja Dragunov is rumored to join SmackDown at the WWE Draft

The WWE Draft is set to take place within a few days’ time. According to reports, the Stamford-based company had planned some major surprises for the marquee event. According to PWI Elite, several NXT stars are set to join the two main brands, Raw and SmackDown, at the Draft. One among them is Ilja Dragunov. Notably, the 29-year-old is Gunther’s arch nemesis.

Before his unbeaten run at SmackDown, Gunther, then Walter, was the longest-reigning NXT UK Champion. The Austrian held the now-defunct title for 870 days before dropping it. The reign was overthrown by none other than Dragunov at NXT TakeOver 36 in 2021.

The two pro wrestlers have fought several times in the past. Two of their matches have also been awarded five stars by notable US journalist Dave Meltzer. It would certainly be interesting to see how the two would fare if Dragunov gets a go-ahead at SmackDown and Gunther is retained by the blue brand.

Apart from the 29-year-old, 2x NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly – Elton Prince and Kit Wilson, are rumored to join Raw. Two other stars, Cameron Grimes and Zoey Stark, are also in the mix.

Meanwhile, Gunther recently defended his title against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania 39. However, the current WWE Intercontinental Champion was set to face his ‘dream opponent’ at the ‘The Showcase of the Immortals’, which was changed later.

Gunther vs. Brock Lesnar – The match that never happened

There aren’t a lot of pro wrestlers who will willingly name Brock Lesnar as their opponent. But not Gunther. The 35-year-old wanted to face Brock Lesnar as he believes the former WWE Champion is one of the best to do it.

Both Lesnar and Gunther were featured at WrestleMania 39 but against different opponents. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ picked up his win against Omos in a match that lasted less than five minutes at the SoFi Stadium. There were reports in 2022 about Lesnar Vs. Gunther is one of the matches to be scheduled internally for WrestleMania.

Read More: “Is It Still April Fools Day?”: WWE Fans Go on a Trolling Spree as NXT Star, Who Won Just 2 Out of His Last 30 Matches, Could Reportedly Be Given a Main Roster Push Soon

Gunther had also said in an interview in November that Lesnar is the one opponent he would pick at the moment. However, it didn’t happen. For now, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ is busy feuding with the ‘American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes. Gunther, on the other hand, is nearing a year-long reign as the Intercontinental Champion. Will this Draft change it all? We’ll have to wait and watch. Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Dwayne Johnson’s Daughter Simone to The Undertaker’s Daughter Kaia – Meet Daughters of Top WWE Stars