“Over the last two or three months, we’ve had so many big events and the demand is there for it, so there’s a natural progression towards [the SummerSlam expansion.] I’m here for more. It feels like a lot has happened, but we’re just getting started.”
He added: “When you look at the whole picture, it’s quite impressive right now. This is what everybody has worked so hard for many years. Everybody is here to enjoy it and be part of it and shoot for more.
“It’s a golden age of professional wrestling right now and the WWE itself and it’s great to be in the middle of that.”
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Having joined WWE NXT in 2019, the Austrian commented that the future of WWE didn’t “look too promising,” and it’s been a long journey to get the industry back into mainstream popularity.
“How I can tell the difference is how the public reacts to us. Just by how many people speak to me when I walk around the street, even last year alone, it has increased so much. It proves that our popularity as a whole has risen in the last year and it doesn’t seem to be stopping,” said Gunther.
The Ring General will defend his WWE Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk at SummerSlam. The Chicago icon beat Bron Breakker on Monday Night Raw to earn the title shot and Gunther is relishing the upcoming match.
“I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with [Punk] on a big stage like SummerSlam in a prominent spot like that,” said Gunther. “That’s why I joined the company, I wanted to be in the ring with the top, top guys and him coming back was a big deal, he’s one of the most unique performers that the business has ever had. That’s what I’m here for. I’m all ready for it and I’m prepared and I’m excited.”
If Gunther successfully defends his championship against CM Punk at SummerSlam, he will become the longest-reigning holder of the new World Heavyweight Championship (assuming Seth Rollins doesn’t pull off a miraculous recovery from his knee injury to cash in his Money in the Bank contract). It’s a prestigious title and holds a lot of responsibility, but Gunther feels comfortable in his position as champion.
“I’ve always operated better when I’ve had responsibility [placed] on me and that’s the case here. I embrace it and I enjoy it, and SummerSlam is the next big one. I did ‘Mania with Jey [Uso] but I feel like SummerSlam with Punk from an overall perspective is the one that I’m most excited for so far,” said Gunther.
CM Punk and Gunther on WWE Raw.
The Austrian wrestler made headlines recently as he beat WWE icon Goldberg in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta.
“I was very happy with how everything went [against Goldberg] and I feel like we exceeded expectations for the match. For me, it was important to not go out there and have the typical three or four minutes of action and that’s it,” said Gunther.
“I wanted time to tell a story and take the audience on a ride and make them feel bad for him a little bit before it all ends. I think we succeeded with that. He can be very happy with the match and the connection that he had with the audience because that felt very special.”
One of the biggest stories in wrestling in 2025 is undoubtedly John Cena’s shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber when he viciously assaulted Cody Rhodes, whom he will face in a street fight at SummerSlam. The storyline captured mainstream attention and has been followed closely by millions across the globe and brought a whole new audience to the WWE.
The WWE legend and Hollywood actor is in the midst of his retirement tour as he will make his final appearance as an in-ring performer in December 2025. The excitement and hysteria around John Cena’s retirement have helped elevate the industry and seen the demand for events like SummerSlam at an all-time high.
“It’s great for him that he’s able to do that and say, ‘This is the way I want to finish it and the way I want to go out.’ It’s a great way to do it. If somebody deserves it, then it’s him. It’s good to have him back around. Obviously, I have not interacted with him or seen him much because he’s on SmackDown mostly, but who knows, there’s still a long time left, so maybe there’s a chance to get in there with him before he hangs it up.”
The Ring General added: “He’s a guy that everyone knows, it’s like what Hogan was in the ’90s. If you know wrestling, you know John Cena. It also shows the love and passion that he has for the business.
“He doesn’t need to do it, he’s financially got bigger fish to fry with his movies and he’s a made man already, so there’s no pressure for him to do all of that, but he decided to invest a whole year into this. It’s a very classy way for someone like him to go out and have this one year of giving back and do it one more time.”
SummerSlam will stream live for the first time ever over two nights on Netflix at 11pm BST on Saturday 2nd August and Sunday 3rd August.
WWE is available to watch on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, including RAW, SmackDown, NXT, all Premium Live Events and the WWE archive. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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