Mason Rook wants to take on Gunther at WrestleMania, but not the current version of the Ring General.
Since debuting in NXT in April, Mason Rook has caught the attention of fans due to his size and athleticism. These are attributes that also helped Gunther on his path to becoming one of the top stars in WWE.
However, when Gunther was called up to the main roster in 2022, he dropped over 50lbs, saying that he thought the wider WWE audience would think he was out of shape rather than an intimidating powerhouse. The move has worked for the star, and he is now a two-time World Heavyweight Champion as well as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. On top of his impressive collection of gold, Gunther also holds the distinction of being the man who retired both John Cena and AJ Styles.
Citing those accolades, Mason Rook has told Busted Open Radio that if he were given the opportunity, he would want to face the Ring General at WrestleMania.
“I would say Gunther, right now. For me, he is the standard of wrestling. He was the trailblazer on the indies, wherever he’s gone, he’s set the standard. Coming from Europe as well, I feel like we have the same kind of physical style. Now, he’s obviously got this moniker as the career-ender; he’s retired some of the greatest to ever do it, so to be able to test myself against Gunther this early on would do wonders for my career here in WWE.”
“When Gunther Was Heavier And Bigger, He Was More Menacing” – Mason Rook
When Busted Open host Bully Ray asked which version of Gunther he preferred, Rook said he would want to face the heavier star he originally wanted to emulate.
“I enjoy this new version of him, but personally, I would say, as someone who loves to be inspired by different wrestlers and look to to take bits from, I would definitely say when Gunther was a bit heavier and bigger, he was a lot more menacing. That is who I would want to be in there with. That’s who I looked at and was like, ‘Wow, this guy is someone who I should look at and try to emulate.’”
Elsewhere in the interview, Mason Rook recalled thinking John Cena was “winding him up” when he told him he was a huge fan of the star.
