CHOP!!
Did you hear that? There’s no way you didn’t. The Master of the Knife-Edge Chop. The Ring General. WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther, ALWAYS leaves a mark with his trademark blows. The sound is unmistakable. Another unmistakable thing is the undeniable aura that Gunther carries himself with and that was on full display Tuesday night at Prudential Center when he took in his FIRST EVER NHL game; a matchup between the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins.
The Garden State squad is Gunther’s “hometown” team, as he resides in Jersey part of the time. The Devils would have clinched a playoff berth if they had earned at least one point against the Bruins, but instead, they fell 7-2. While New Jersey didn’t accomplish its mission, Gunther certainly did. Not only did he give the fans a jolt, but he also shared his thoughts on several topics and delivered a chilling warning to his WrestleMania 41 opponent, Jey Uso.
Editor’s Note: Questions and Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
Question: You walked into WrestleMania 40 as the IC Champion of 666 days. This year, you walk into WrestleMania 41 as the World Heavyweight Champion. What lessons did you learn from last year that might help you retain your title this time around?
Answer: “I got carried away last year. Wasn’t in control too much against Sami (Zayn) and then paid the price for it. I try not to do the same this year, even though I get very excited when I’m in charge of the match. I think that’s the biggest point.”
Question: The Devils versus the Bruins is the first-ever hockey game you’ve been to. But have you skated before and if so, what position do you think you would play in hockey?
Answer: “I skated before when I was a kid. I was a goalkeeper for a long time in my youth, so I think I would still be a goalkeeper.”
Question: New Jersey is hosting WWE SummerSlam this year at MetLife Stadium. Do you anticipate having any Devils players as guests during the two-night event? And what do you expect out of New Jersey for SummerSlam?
Answer: “I guess we’ll have some guests. We always have great athletes coming to our events. So I guess it will happen here too. Overall, I think it’s great for New Jersey to have that big of an event. SummerSlam, two nights, August 2nd and August 3rd. New Jersey also has the Football World Cup coming in. I think it’s great for the state and the whole region. I don’t live too far from the stadium, so it’s very convenient for me as well.”
Question: Do you anticipate going to more Devils games after this one?
Answer: “I wish I could. There’s not much time in the schedule of a WWE superstar to be honest. But maybe down the line.”
Question: Who is your dream WWE opponent and what type of match would it be?
Answer: “It’s definitely a straightforward match and to be honest, it’s hard to pick. I’d say, I look at André The Giant, that would’ve been cool, right?”
Question: Hockey fans and Wrestling fans thrive off of energy. The players and wrestlers feed off the crowds. So, using that energy from the crowd tonight, what would your message be to your WrestleMania 41 opponent, Jey Uso?
Answer: “See, that’s the thing. Jey Uso is the guy who brings the energy. But I’m in the business of killing the energy, so that’s gonna be interesting. (We’ll see) Who’s gonna be the successful one at the end.”
New Jersey’s season still has four more games to go before the playoffs begin. And at the same time, Gunther is just 10 days away from defending his World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41. Both are looking to build momentum between now and then as they chase their respective goals.
One thing is certain though and that’s that the state of New Jersey is in for a wild couple of weeks.
photo by Sportsology
