Will Gunther Challenge For a World Title as Intercontinental Champion at WWE WrestleMania 40? (Exclusive)

Gunther is still the WWE Intercontinental Champion. The Ring General successfully defended his prize against Drew McIntyre this past Saturday at WWE SummerSlam after he put away the Scottish Warrior with a power bomb. This defense extends Gunther's Intercontinental Title reign towards 421 days and counting, leaving him with just over one month before he passes WWE Hall of Famer Honky Tonk Man's 454-day run to become the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time. Most expect Gunther to break that record with ease, as it has been difficult to foresee Gunther even losing the title at all.

Mix that with the Imperium leader being one of the odds-on favorites to win the Men's Royal Rumble Match in January, and there is an increasing chance for Gunther to repeat WWF WrestleMania VI history when then-Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior defeated then-WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan to hold both belts briefly. Warrior vacated the Intercontinental Title days later to focus on defending his World Title.

Speaking to ComicBook.com at the WWE SummerSlam press junket, Gunther noted that he sees being a double champion come WWE WrestleMania 40 as a "possibility."

"If I get the chance to be in the Royal Rumble, then I aim to win it. I think that's a possibility," Gunther said. "Yes, because I don't plan on losing the Intercontinental Championship."

The only way for Gunther to top his WWE Royal Rumble 2023 performance would be to win the whole match. Gunther entered this past January's multi-man battle royal as the first entrant and went the distance, lasting until the final two. He would be the last man eliminated from the match by winner Cody Rhodes. That performance gave Gunther the record for longest time spent in a traditional Royal Rumble match at 71 minutes and 40 seconds, breaking Rey Mysterio's record by over nine minutes.

Gunther's next title defense will come against Chad Gable at some point in the near future.

WWE SummerSlam Results

• Logan Paul def. Ricochet
• Cody Rhodes def. Brock Lesnar
• SummerSlam Battle Royal: LA Knight def. field
• MMA Rules Match: Shayna Baszler def. Ronda Rousey
• Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Drew McIntyre
  
• World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins def. Finn Balor
• WWE Women's Championship: Bianca Belair def. Asuka and Charlotte Flair
• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Jey Uso (Tribal Combat Rules)

WWE SummerSlam is available for replay on Peacock.