This week on RAW, Gunther and Chad Gable had an incredible match in the main event, and one that I believe to be one of the best TV Matches Of The Year.
I know a lot of you might disagree with this take, but I genuinely don’t believe there has been many TV matches as good as this one so far this year.
So I’ve just made a small article to explain why I believe this, but most of all it is an appreciation article for this fantastic match.
Why was this match so good?
The most notable reason why the match was so good was actually the build. I’ve been a massive fan of how WWE have built up to this match over the past few weeks, starting with Gunther looking past the gutsy Gable in a 5 minute challenge, to then Chad putting an end to Gunther’s flawless record by beating him in a count out, to the eventual 3rd match where Gable took the Ring General to the absolute limit, only to just come up short. The storytelling has been so simple, yet so effective in this rivalry.
The build to the match on the night was also fantastic. Throughout RAW, we were constantly reminded how prestigious the IC Title is, by taking a look back at the all time greats that have held the prestigious championship. It really felt like a big fight feel leading up to the main event, which is exactly what the Intercontinental Championship deserves. Then of course the added bonus of Gunther becoming the Longest Reigning IC Champion of all time if he won the match, just added that bit more spice to an already great build.
The match itself of course lived up to the hype and more, with it having one of the best closing stretches of a match I’ve seen in WWE this year. I think Gable is possibly the wrestler that Gunther has the most chemistry with, which is saying something considering the incredible list of wrestlers Gunther has had memorable matches with.
Gunther also has this incredible power to make you believe he will genuinely lose, even if all the signs point to him retaining his title. It’s really a special talent in a business which thrives on storytelling.
Now what’s next for both men? Well I think Gable should be the one to beat Gunther for his championship. The guy is so over right now and there is genuinely no better choice. I would love it if they run it back one last time at Fast Lane, in an Iron Man match. I think that’s a match that suits their rivalry so far, with Gable saying in their first interaction ‘I will last 5 hours if I want to’ I think that would be a brilliant way to end a great mid card title rivalry, and I can say for sure it would definitely be a MOTY contender. I doubt WWE will do that idea, but I seriously hope they do.
Overall
I had massive expectations for this match, and it delivered up to them and more. It’s great to see Chad Gable start getting the respect he deserves, and it’s great to see WWE start seeing what a great asset he is to their company.
Gunther for me is the best Professional Wrestler in the world right now. It’s a big statement, but it’s very hard to find a bad Gunther match over the past couple of years. This guy puts on a show every time he goes to the ring while being a great storyteller in the process. I have no doubt that the Ring General should win The Royal Rumble next year and go on to be Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania.
To sum up, that is why this match was one the best TV Matches of the Year. If there was one thing I would criticise about it, it was the adverts. That is probably what has stopped me from naming it the best TV Match of the Year, but that still didn’t take anything away from what was an outstanding TV match.
