GUNTHER’s brutal assault on Pat McAfee and Michael Cole during the April 21 episode of Monday Night Raw left fans stunned—and quickly led to WWE announcing an indefinite suspension for the Ring General. Now, the real story behind his time off is coming into focus, and it looks like fans won’t have to wait long to see him again.

As previously reported, GUNTHER actually requested time off from WWE after WrestleMania 41, and the suspension storyline was a creative way to explain his absence. PWInsider followed up, reporting that GUNTHER has been spotted several times in London over the past week. Sources inside WWE believe his kayfabe suspension will only last “2-3 weeks,” not an extended stretch like some feared.

The attack storyline was tied to GUNTHER’s WrestleMania loss, where Jey Uso tapped him out to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. That frustration boiled over on Raw when GUNTHER choked out Pat McAfee and roughed up Michael Cole live on-air.

Pat McAfee later addressed the incident, revealing he had to visit a medical facility after GUNTHER’s chokehold. “I thought maybe I was gonna have a C2, C3—something in the neck—because of how it felt, but I was deemed okay,” McAfee said. He also warned GUNTHER, “You’re not gonna mess with Michael Cole. You’re not gonna get away with it.”

Advertising
Advertising

While some fans were worried GUNTHER’s absence could be long-term, it now looks like the powerhouse will be back on WWE television within a few weeks, likely setting up a major showdown with Pat McAfee when he returns.

GUNTHER put in a massive year as World Heavyweight Champion, so a short breather feels well earned—but with the way things ended, the real fight might just be getting started.

Are you excited to see GUNTHER return and mix it up with Pat McAfee? Or should he go after someone even bigger when he’s back? Hit the comments and let us know!

Steve Carrier is the founder of Ringside News and has been reporting on pro wrestling since 1997. His stories have been featured on TMZ, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and more.

Disqus Comments Loading...