On the June 10, 2022 episode of SmackDown, Gunther defeated Ricochet to win the Intercontinental Championship. Gunther has now been Intercontinental Champion for 245 days, making his reign the longest since The Rock’s 264-day reign that started in December of 1997, and therefore the longest of the 21st century.
Not only has Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship reign been the longest of the 21st century, but it has also been among the most well-received. He has restored the prominence and prestige of the title with incredible matches and a critically acclaimed feud with Sheamus. The title has not felt this important in several years, and his dominant run may be cited as a very important reason.
Having held the WWE/NXT United Kingdom Championship for a record 870 days, Gunther does know a little something about holding championships hostage for long periods of time.
Gunther is expected to head into WrestleMania 39 on April 1st as the champion. By then, he will have been champion for 295 days, which would be the fifth-longest Intercontinental Championship reign of all-time.
