50 Best Wrestlers Of The 2020s (So Far)
4. Gunther
From an indies cult favourite and singular NXT UK standout at the start of the decade to one of the most dominant forces of the modern era half-way through, Gunther has quietly built one of the most impressive résumés in WWE history - and he's done it his way.
The man once known as WALTER arrived on the main roster in 2022 with a questionable name change and the usual skepticism that surrounds NXT call-ups. But he’s long since silenced every doubt. Gunther has gone on to not only restore the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship but elevate it to main event status. His 2022-2023 run with the title wasn’t just long but legendary, packed with thrilling title defences against the likes of Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, and Chad Gable that consistently stole the show.
A masterclass in aura, pacing, and physical storytelling, Gunther’s matches blend brutality and believability in ways few others manage. In 2024, he stepped seamlessly into a top-tier promo role as a cerebral and cutting World Heavyweight Champion, and carried on exactly where he left off until losing to unlikely underdog Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41.
If Cody Rhodes was the face of WWE’s rebuild under Triple H, Gunther was its backbone - a benchmark of consistency kept the standards high. He sets unique and loftier expectations with each passing year too - his ceiling keeps getting higher, and it's hard to see that pattern shifting over the next five years after the first.