WWE Makes Another Change To Gunther's Ring Name
Another name tweak for the former WALTER in WWE.
WWE is at it again with its Intercontinental Champion's ring name, but this latest change isn't as drastic as his transformation from WALTER to Gunther earlier in the year.
In the copy announcing Imperium's upcoming Extreme Rules 2022 (8 October) match with The Brawling Brutes, WWE stylised the Austrian's name as GUNTHER, not Gunther. This puts him in line with his previous monicker, WALTER, which was always written in all caps.
WWE didn't initially carry this stylisation over when the Intercontinental Champion initially changed his name back in January. Now, it seemingly has.
The promotion sparked controversy by reinventing WALTER while the big man was still in NXT, having filed a trademark application for "Gunther Stark." Gunther Stark, by the way, was identified as a Nazi U-boat commander who served as a Captain Lieutenant in Adolf Hitler's Kriegsmarine during World War II shortly after news of WWE's trademark application first broke. The surname was never mentioned on WWE television though WALTER announced himself as "Gunther" on NXT's 18 January episode.
WWE abandoned its trademark application days later. GUNTHER has never been referred to as Gunther Stark by the promotion, fortunately.