2024 WWE King of the Ring “The Ring General” GUNTHER spoke with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports on a number of topics including working a day job during night shifts when he started wrestling.
GUNTHER said, “I had a day job working only night shifts for nearly three years and wrestling on the weekends. That took a toll that was hard to sustain. My goal was always to make a living off professional wrestling. That was not in sight so I thought I should call it quits and focus on a career in my real job.”
On coming up with a deal to be a trainer for wXw:
“I spoke with [wXw] and said, ‘Either I run a wrestling school for you and that’s my job, or I think I call it quits.’ They were happy to do that. They wanted to have a wrestling school. They employed me and since then, professional wrestling has been my main profession.”
On how he would have felt if he was told a decade ago he would be in WWE:
“It was highly unrealistic. The chances weren’t that high and they weren’t for most of my career because WWE didn’t open up the way they have to the independent circuit. It changed a lot when they started signing guys from the indies and being open to the worldwide wrestling scene. It’s been a long ride to get here so now I’m ready to enjoy it.”
On possibly going into WWE Bash in Berlin as World Heavyweight Champion:
“It’d be the biggest achievement of my career. I think that’s quite obvious. It’s the world’s heavyweight champion. It’s the biggest prize there is to win in this sport. That would be a huge accomplishment but also a big responsibility and challenge. That’s what I’m here for. I want to be in the mix with the best and in the ring with all of them. To prove myself in that regard.”
