WWE is no longer the end all be all. The global leader in sports-entertainment remains at the top of the professional wrestling industry, but the days of it holding a monopoly over all things squared circle are long gone. The mid-2010s saw the likes of Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling reach unprecedented heights all while the entire United Kingdom independent circuit thrived. The launch of All Elite Wrestling in 2019 gave WWE its biggest competition since WCW closed its doors in 2001, giving a global and televised platform to hundreds. Even for those not on a big promotion’s payroll, indie standouts like Matt Cardona have proved that talent can make a massive bag strictly working freelance dates.
Gunther Had Doubts About Ever Going to WWE
That independent option powered one of WWE’s biggest stars for years.
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Before joining WWE in 2019, Gunther dominated the independent circuit as WALTER, competing regularly in promotions like Germany’s wXw and the United Kingdom’s PROGRESS Wrestling.
“It was never my big dream to go [to WWE]. I think I was more passionate to wrestle for All-Japan at some point as like a big dream than being with WWE. My goal was always I want to make a living off of being a professional wrestler. That was always my goal,” Gunther told Chris Van Vliet. “I want to make this my profession because I know some about it now, I have a passion for it, and I don’t want to work a job that bores the hell out of me. I always wanted to make it a profession. When I achieved that, that was already something unheard of. When I became a full-time wrestler, I had to be self-employed basically. I think at that time, I was the only person in Germany that was a wrestler by profession.”
That aforementioned British indie boom was something WWE wanted in on. WWE launched the WWE UK Championship Tournament in 2017, a bracket comprised of the UK’s top independent stars. While the eventual NXT UK brand would sign its competitors to contracts, the initial WWE expansion into the UK allowed talent to still wrestle wherever they’d like.
“The indies changed big time. It was before COVID, there was such a big boom in the indie scene in England especially, but all in the states as well,” Gunther reflected. “WWE decided to open the doors to the independent wrestling world and also to Europe so that brought up a lot more possibilities obviously.”
Gunther defends his WWE Intercontinental Championship against The Miz this Saturday, November 25th at WWE Survivor Series.
