In a historic showdown on this week's episode of Monday Night Raw in Charlotte, North Carolina, GUNTHER faced Chad Gable in a clash that would determine the fate of the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in WWE history.
A reign that started on June 10, 2022, and has seen GUNTHER defend his title against luminaries like Braun Strowman, Shinsuke Nakamura, Ricochet, and Matt Riddle, would either meet its end or create a new epoch in the championship's rich lineage.
Gable, who had previously handed GUNTHER a rare loss by countout, walked into the ring brimming with confidence as he is buoyed by his family sitting ringside. The match was a culmination of a series of electric showdowns between the two wrestlers, with WWE pulling out all the stops to stage this climactic third and likely final encounter. Vignettes, segments, and highlight reels of past champions peppered the show, fueling anticipation to a fever pitch.
Gable initially seized control, targeting GUNTHER's legs to set up for his devastating Ankle Lock. The underdog goaded the champion into charging at him, absorbing punishing chops to the chest but pressing on. He came tantalizingly close to winning with a two-count off a Chaos Theory German suplex and tightened his Ankle Lock, leaving the audience in nail-biting suspense. However, GUNTHER's resilience shone through, as he used his one good leg to kick Gable away. Following up with a Kobashi-style sleeper suplex, a powerbomb, and a lariat, GUNTHER successfully defended his title for the fifteenth time, thereby ensuring that he will surpass Honky Tonk Man's 35-year-old record of 454 consecutive days as the Intercontinental Champion.
