"Gunther Is Like Shawn Michaels": Kevin Nash Draws Parallels Between These WWE Superstars

Kevin Nash, a towering figure in the world of professional wrestling, shares a deep history with Shawn Michaels, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer and current head of "WWE NXT." Their connection, forged during one of wrestling's most prosperous eras, gives Nash unique insight into the psychology and chemistry that helped elevate Michaels to the status of a wrestling legend.On his "" podcast, Nash recently drew an unexpected comparison between Michaels and the current World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther. This comparison provides a compelling perspective on Gunther's rapid rise in WWE.

Nash remarked, "Gunther is like Shawn Michaels. Not in work style, but in psychology, where he could make somebody, and still heel and beat them. And get out of there with the belt week after week after week. And then build his heat." This statement highlights Gunther's talent for elevating his opponents while also maintaining his villainous character and firm grip on the world title. It's a notable compliment coming from one of Michaels' closest allies.
Reflecting on Gunther's impressive career, Nash added, "They had a statistic. I don't know how real it is, but I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't have said it because it's something that I would probably look up if I was a diehard. But they said that Gunther has been, since he's been with the WWE, has been a champion 75% of the time he's been with them, which is unprecedented." As Gunther continues to solidify his place in WWE history, a significant challenge looms ahead. The Austrian powerhouse is set to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against the "Legend Killer" Randy Orton at Bash in Berlin on August 31.



At WWE SummerSlam 2024, Gunther faced off against The Judgment Day's Damian Priest in front of an electrifying Cleveland crowd. Following a series of intense personal attacks and controversial moments, the two competitors gave everything they had in their explosive championship match. Early on, after a series of brutal chops, Gunther's already scabbed chest burst open, with blood steadily streaming down "The Ring General's" torso throughout the bout.
The turning point for Priest came when Finn Balor made his way to ringside. Initially there to support his Judgment Day teammate, Balor intervened after Priest attempted a pinfall near the ropes by placing Gunther's foot on the ropes to force a break. Priest, shocked and disappointed, watched the replay of the incident on the big screens at Cleveland Browns Stadium, locking eyes with Balor in disbelief. Seizing the opportunity, Gunther capitalized on the tension between Balor and Priest, applying a series of sleeper holds and chokes to the champion. Though Priest fought valiantly—showing the grit that had been central to his storyline with GUNTHER—he ultimately passed out, giving Gunther the victory. While Gunther has held the Intercontinental Championship for much of his time on the main roster, this marks his first world title run since joining in 2022.
Priest had captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40 with a successful Money in the Bank cash-in, but his reign ends after 118 days. Balor's betrayal of Priest follows Dominik Mysterio turning on Rhea Ripley earlier in the night, signaling a significant fracture within one of WWE's most dominant factions.