25 Worst Wrestling Moments Of 2022
20. Gunther Is Named After Nazi U-Boat
Gunther is one of the most recognizable names in the pro wrestling world in 2026. It wasn't always that way, though.
Fans were sick of watching ridiculous names like Doudrop be given to top-tier talent, and so when WWE rebranded the enormously successful Walter, it felt like a massive misfire. Walter had made his name as one of the best in-ring performers around the globe, and jeopardizing his identity felt like another terrible Vince McMahon-assisted name change.
This got even worse when it transpired that WWE trademarked the name "Gunther Stark". With fans already reeling from Walter's name change, there was further outcry when this seemingly innocent name came with awful connotations.
According to historical records, Gunther Stark was the name of a prominent Nazi Boat Commander during World War II. Whether WWE was aware of this fact is unknown, but it is equally hard to believe that this was a pure coincidence. Either way, to have not fact-checked this before moving to register the trademark and allowing fans to point this out, Vince's company left themselves wide open to the criticism of inflicting Nazi imagery upon one of its performers.