GUNTHER Opens Up About Body Transformation For WWE Main Roster Call-Up: ‘I Would Have Looked Like Somebody Out Of Shape’

WWE

GUNTHER has opened up about his body transformation upon being called up to WWE’s main roster in April 2022.

Throughout his over 15 years competing on the independent scene, and much of his time in NXT, GUNTHER was known for having a far heavier frame than he’s become known for in his years on WWE’s main roster – a run which began on the SmackDown after WrestleMania 38 on April 8, 2022.

In the time since his main roster debut GUNTHER has maintained his more lean physique, but the loss of size has not been to the detriment of hard-hitting in-ring style, or intimidating presence.

Speaking with Enry Lazza, GUNTHER discussed his weight loss, saying the decision to trim down was not due to physical limitations of being heavier, or not liking his past version of himself, but instead feeling that his past physique may not be understood or accepted by a wider audience in WWE.

GUNTHER explained:

“I was the person I wanted to be a lot, because in my case I never felt uncomfortable before or anything, and my wrestling idols were butch-looking heavyweights from America that went to Japan and beat up all of the Japanese babyfaces and they were all, as they call it, barrel chested with a little bit of gut.

“So I always had that romantic thing for those guys because I watched it a lot and liked it and I thought like, ‘Ah, (I’m) in that category, I’m one of them.’ But obviously in WWE, we’ve expanded so much and now with Netflix there’s such a different viewership on it that’s so much wider. So, I thought that’s going to be necessary (his weight loss).

“So when I went to the main roster I made the call, like you know what it’s time to change it up because there’s a difference. Up until WWE I only wrestled for hardcore wrestling fans that were die hards basically, and they can understand. But in reality, for the major public I would have looked like somebody out of shape and doesn’t look like a champion. So I knew I had to adjust it and find a way to still stay myself, but just give it a fresh look.

“But what I think I was battling the most in German we have a word for that its called: ‘schweinehund’, which is basically like a pig dog, as we call it. The inner pig dog that tells you that you have to fight all the time.

“That’s basically the devil that sits on your right shoulder that makes you do the wrong things. And I think that’s what I had to fight the most a little bit when it comes to discipline and stuff like that. But once you manage that you beat the schweinehund basically, then yeah it becomes routine.”

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