10 WWE Wrestlers Who NEED A Big Push After Royal Rumble 2023

4. GUNTHER

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WWE.com

WWE needn't do anything more to build Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER at SummerSlam following the events of Royal Rumble.

That finishing sequence was a risk, in that, strictly, the heel entering at #1 and the babyface entering at #30 was arse backwards - but the feel-good factor surrounding Cody's return, and his expert performance, acted as a workaround of sorts.

GUNTHER, once Cody is established, can point this out to both draw Cody into conflict and remind the audience that the result might have gone differently, had both men drawn one another's numbers. Cody only defeated a tiring GUNTHER after he had entered a dominant 70-minute performance. This key detail will drive a big-time main event this year.

GUNTHER needs and is certain to receive a big push...provided Triple H remains in charge of creative throughout 2023.

There's the "issue" of GUNTHER holding the Intercontinental title - but losing upwards is a normalised bad trope to the WWE audience, and as Sheamus proved at Clash At The Castle, there is zero shame whatsoever in losing clean, provided the layout is well thought-out.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!