WWE star didn't expect main roster call-up

Gunther made his WWE debut under his independent wrestling name Walter in January 2019, appearing at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool.
He would go on to be the longest-reigning NXT UK Champion, heading to NXT before his main roster call up, alongside Ludwig Kaiser, in April 2022.

In a recent interview with Cameron Hawkins for The Ringer, Gunther revealed his belief that he would never make it to the main roster, saying:
“I never saw myself being on the main roster. I always felt like I’m not going to fit in there.”

It was noted in the interview that Gunther’s wrestling styles was “unfamiliar” to the WWE fans who hadn’t seen his work.
Hawkins further stated that fans had seen other wrestlers move into the WWE way of working, suggesting that “they must conform to what is safe or acceptable once they sign their major deal.”

As for changing his style to make it on the main roster, Gunther reflected on that, saying:
“Nobody ever in WWE told me to change anything. Nobody does [what I do] better than me. And that’s what I have to offer.
“I’m not that wrestler that comes out of this system that something doesn’t work, and next week I have a new character; that won’t happen in my case because I’m myself.”

In the interview, Gunther did reflect on one change that he made, going on to discuss his physical transformation, stating:
“[The hard-core viewers], they totally get that romantic wrestling aspect about a beer-belly guy that just beats people up because it’s just been the case in Japan for so long.
“I always thought that wouldn’t transcend well with the audience that you can reach on the main roster, where it’s literally just in the eye of the mainstream public. I just wanted to bring the best version of myself.”

He also discussed his physical transformation in a recent interview, talking about the need to progress and the importance of presentation.
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