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Gunther Claims Triple H 'Saved Pro Wrestling'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Xaiver Aguiar | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 5:51 PM ET

Gunther is one of the best wrestling success stories in recent memory. Thanks to his rather unique look and throwback style in the ring, he garnered plenty of internet notoriety for his work on the European independent circuit. But early in his WWE tenure, his peak seemed to be as the NXT UK Champion, far away from top-roster prominence. Just watch the main event of Survivor Series 2019—of the 15 men in the match, Gunther, then known as Walter, was the first eliminated.

His standing changed dramatically when Triple H took over as the head of creative. Gunther has had multiple long title runs and is heading into WrestleMania 41 as the World Heavyweight Champion. The 37-year-old owes his boss a lot for his current position on the card but thinks Triple H's impact goes far beyond his own personal success.

While appearing on the Ariel Helwani Show, Gunther suggested that this year's Hall of Fame headliner might have saved professional wrestling. "I think, to a certain degree, that Triple H saved professional wrestling, to a big degree," Gunther said. "I remember I started in 2005—all Europeans trying to get into WWE was such a mystery, like who to talk to, what to do. It seemed so far away, such an unrealistic point to achieve. Hunter was the one that pushed for opening the world to WWE and creating so many jobs and opportunities back then for so many of the guys like us."

For a while, everyone knew what the "WWE guy" looked and talked like. There was a reason the product was so stale for so long and why the likes of Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, and Daniel Bryan garnered such molten hot fan support—they were so different from everyone else on television at the time. The current product isn't perfect, but it's the most palatable it's been on a weekly basis since the start of the Ruthless Aggression era. That's due to the superior booking with Triple H at the helm and far more diverse performers, like Gunther, receiving a deserved push. "Saving" the business is a bit strong, but Triple H definitely helped usher in a modern golden age.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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