Gunther Makes History, Breaks Honky Tonk Man’s Record as Longest IC Champion

It’s time to rejoice, WWE fans! Gunther has finally broken The Honky Tonk Man’s record of being the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in the history of WWE.

We were sure that Gunther was heading towards The Honky Tonk Man’s record when the Austrian wrestler managed to defeat Chad Gable in the main event of Monday RAW. His match with Gable was the final hurdle he needed to cross to shatter The Honky Tonk Man’s record. 

Gunther’s journey has been nothing short of incredible. Being the first Austrian to compete in the WWE, he first won the IC Championship on SmackDown in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on June 10 last year by defeating the previous champion, Ricochet.

Now, he has broken a 35-year-old record and has emerged as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in the history of the tournament.

1. When did Gunther win the IC title and break the record?

Gunther officially won the IC Championship on June 10, 2022. He became the longest reigning Intercontinental Championship in history on September 8, 2023, a record previously held by The Honky Tonk Man.

Before Gunther, The Honky Tonk Man held the title for the longest reigning IC Champion with a 454-day reign. Gunther completed a reign of 455 days on September 8, breaking the previous record.

Here’s what Gunther said about his historic run with the IC Championship-

“From the moment I won this prestigious championship, I saw the vision. I envisioned this very moment. I’m the one to redefine history redefine the legacy of the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship. I heard them talking, I heard them discussing their childhood heroes, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Honky Tonk Man, Steve Austin, The Rock. The reality is, when that bell rings, they all can come, line up, and lace my boots. Because as long as I’m alive, there’s no man born yet to take this title off me.”

Gunther

2. Who won: Gunther or Chad Gable?

Gunther defeated Chad Gable on RAW on Monday night. In the last two matches, Gable won over Gunther via a count out. These matches did not result in a title change but were considered upsets. But Gunther finally took up the challenge of a rematch, which resulted in Gable’s defeat.

The match between Gable and Gunther was a Beat the Clock Challenge, which lasted for 20 minutes. This means that Gable had to defeat Gunther in less than 10 minutes and 6 seconds, which was the exact time that Gunther took to beat Gable on a previous episode of RAW.

During the match, Gable got several near falls, including a Chaos Theory German Suplex and a Moonsault, but Gunther kicked out every time. He was easily the better wrestler in the ring since the beginning.

Another highlight of the match was Gable applying an Ankle Lock on Gunther, which looked like it would make him tap out, but Gunther managed to escape and hit a Powerbomb and a Lariat for the win.

In fact, Chad’s defeat helped to create history as it became the final stepping stone that Gunther stepped upon to become the longest-reigning champion.

The achievement is an extremely significant one for Gunther as he broke a 35-year-old record. For ages, The Honky Tonk Man’s record remained untouched. Moreover, the IC Championship is positioned just below the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. So, it can also serve as a stepping stone for the most coveted title of all time.

3. What the IC Championship Means for Gunther

Gunther’s achievement is massive as those who have won the IC title have gone on to become WWE superstars. Considering Gunther’s current form, he has a bright future ahead. Gunther broke a record that has remained untouched for 35 years and has dethroned The Honky Tonk Man, which is a remarkable feather on his cap.

The Intercontinental Championship is positioned just below the WWE Universal Championship and the WWE Championship in terms of prestige in wrestling. It has a rich history and has been held by many legendary wrestlers over the years, including Randy Savage, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin and others. 

While Pat Patterson is the first to win the IC Championship, Bret “The Hitman” Hart is the most successful IC Champion ever. Hart is often considered one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time. He had multiple reigns with the title and played a crucial role in establishing it as a symbol of excellence in the WWF.

After Gunther’s historic run with the title, we can also consider him one of the stalwarts of the championship. While Gunther has won the IC title only once, he has managed to hold on to it for the longest time. Moreover, even if he loses his title in the future, he might still be able to win it once again.

As of now, Chris Jericho has won the IC title nine times, making him the championship winner for the highest number of times. Now that Gunther has already established himself as the longest-reigning title holder, he might come after Jericho’s record next!

Gunther has faced and defeated some of the best wrestlers in the world, such as Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Matt Riddle, in some of the most hard-hitting matches one could imagine. In fact, he might soon face a new challenger for his title, as WWE announced that a battle royal will be held on the upcoming episode of Raw to determine the new number-one contender for the Intercontinental Championship. It was also announced that Gunther would be present on the show next week.

There are also rumors that Gunther might be one of the candidates to win the Royal Rumble next year and the main event in WrestleMania 40 for a World Heavyweight Championship match. This would be a huge opportunity for Gunther to cement his legacy as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

4. About WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., doing business as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and various other business ventures.

WWE shows are sports entertainment, featuring story line-driven, scripted, and partially choreographed matches; though including moves that can put performers at risk of injury, even death, if not performed correctly. It was founded in 1953 as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation and is the largest wrestling promotion in the world. It is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.