Berlin’s wrestling faithful were treated to a main event that was less of a match and more of a high-octane street fight, as GUNTHER defended his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against the iconic Randy Orton. In front of a roaring hometown crowd, GUNTHER once again proved that when you step into his ring, you leave with a bruised ego, a sore body, and in Randy Orton’s case, a throat full of regret.
The bout was as chaotic as a New Year’s Eve in Times Square—minus the ball drop but with plenty of bodies being dropped on unforgiving surfaces. Within minutes, the action spilled to the outside, where Orton, channeling his inner demolition expert, went to work on GUNTHER’s back and arms like they were malfunctioning IKEA furniture. The announce table was reduced to rubble, the steel steps became instruments of pain, and the mat… well, it was less a wrestling ring and more a battlefield.
Both men looked like they’d been through a car crash by the time the final bell rang. GUNTHER’s hand was in rough shape, and Orton’s back was holding on by a thread thinner than the plot of a made-for-TV movie. But in the end, it was GUNTHER’s iron-clad sleeper hold that brought Orton’s dreams of a 15th championship to a very abrupt, very painful end. The referee had no choice but to call the match, handing GUNTHER his first successful televised title defense.
In a moment that could only be described as the world’s most respectful ‘I just choked you unconscious’ handshake, GUNTHER offered his hand to Orton, who, like a true sportsman (or maybe just someone who didn’t want another round with the Ring General), accepted the gesture. With that, the Berlin crowd got what they came for—a victory for their hometown hero and a reminder that GUNTHER is just getting started.
GUNTHER’s reign with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship now stands at 27 days, and if history is any indicator, this reign could be as lengthy as his record-breaking 666-day run with the Intercontinental Championship. Meanwhile, Orton remains stuck at 14 world title reigns, leaving him still chasing the likes of John Cena and Ric Flair, who both sit atop the mountain with 16 apiece.
As the show faded to black, one thing was clear: GUNTHER isn’t just defending his title—he’s building a legacy, one sleeper hold at a time.