WWE WrestleMania XL PLE Results: 4-6-24 (Night #1)
(6) GUNTHER (c) vs. SAMI ZAYN – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
Gunther flashed a confident smile at Sami Zayn as the bell sounded. Sami circled him. The two locked up and the champion took early, firm control. He shoved Zayn to the mat and then gave him an arrogant boot to the face. He chopped Sami to the mat. Zayn shook it off and stood up, so Gunther did it again. He helped Sami to his feet and gave him a stiff uppercut. Sami stumbled to the corner and Gunther game him no quarter, following close behind him. Sami returned the favor with a pair of quick chops. The champion largely shrugged them off. He hoisted Sami side-first onto the top turnbuckle and mauled him. Sami collapsed to the mat below.
The referee checked on Sami, asking if he wanted to continue. Gunther just laughed. He gave Sami another brutal uppercut. Zayn collapsed in a heap. The camera cut to Sami’s wife, sitting at ringside. She begged her husband to stand. Gunther chopped him to the mat again. Zayn struggled for breath as the match crossed 4:00. Gunther challenged Sami to chop him. Zayn gave him a couple. Gunther cut him off again, but Zayn hit the ropes and dropped Gunther with a big clothesline. He pounded the mat, willing the crowd to life. Gunther gave Sami another violent chop. Then two more. Sami firing a stiff right straight to Gunther’s jaw. He caught him with a boot, then a half-nelson Suplex. Zayn hit a second one. Gunther rolled right to his feet and dropped Zayn with a huge lariat. He covered for two.
Zayn continued to redden Gunther’s chest with chops. “I think he’s just pissing Gunther off,” Cole concluded. Sami managed to drop the champion with a tornado DDT. Gunther stumbled the corner in retreat, allowing Sami to set up for a Heluva Kick. Gunther telegraphed it and tried to grab a sleeper hold as Zayn charged. Sami fought through it. He pulled Gunther in for a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Gunther sunk his hips and prevented the lift. He transitioned back into a sleeper and fell to the mat, locked in deep. Zayn wiggled his lower body free, allowing himself to return to a vertical base. He walked Gunther toward the ropes. “He’s carrying Gunther like a backpack,” McAfee exclaimed. Gunther let go of the hold, but gave Zayn a German Suplex.
Sami used the turnbuckles to pull himself up. Gunther charged, but Zayn caught him with an Exploder. He called for the Heluva. Zayn lifted the leg high, but Gunther pulled him up into a massive Powerbomb with a stack cover for a near fall just before 9:00. Gunther leaned against the ropes, exasperated. He waited for Sami to stand, delivering a big kick in the corner. Sami fell into Gunther’s arms. The champion set his foe back against the corner and looked for a finishing blow. Gunther ran to the opposing corner, but Sami exploded to life and followed him. Zayn hit the Heluva Kick. he hooked the leg, but Gunther kicked out at the last moment. Sami set him up for another Heluva Kick. Gunther flew out of the corner with a massive clothesline, turning Zayn inside out.
“The Ring General has had enough,” Graves said. Gunther gave Zayn a massive Powerbomb. He held onto him, hoisted him up, and delivered a second. Gunther stacked his challenger for another near fall. The champion was shocked. Zayn was slumped lifeless against the bottom rope. Gunther stomped him repeatedly. A dueling chant broke out. Sami used the ropes to pull himself up. Gunther gave him another huge clothesline. “Just stay down, Sami!” Graves exclaimed. Gunther circled his prey. He yelled to Sami’s wife, “do you want to come help him?” He gave Sami another Powerbomb, immediately turning back to Sami’s wife and laughing.
Cole and Graves pleaded with the referee to stop the match. Gunther ascended the southeast turnbuckle. He gave Zayn a big splash, but didn’t even bother with a cover. He climbed the turnbuckles again and crushed Zayn with another splash. He asked Sami’s wife if she wanted to throw in the towel. He laughed. Meanwhile, Zayn began pounding the mat, trying to will himself to life. Gunther climbed the turnbuckles again. Sami leapt to life and gave him a Heluva Kick on the top rope. He dropped Gunther with a massive Brainbuster onto the top turnbuckle. Gunther stumbled to his feet, then to the opposing corner. Sami hit him with another Heluva Kick, this time to the back of the head. Gunther still didn’t go down. Zayn gave him one more for good measure. He fell on top of Gunther for a three count.
WINNER: Sami Zayn in 15:30 to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Samantha Irvin announced the result with legitimate emotion in her voice. “The 666 day reign is over!’ Cole exclaimed. He called it one of the biggest upsets in history.
Sami rose to his knees, title sitting against his waist. The crowd gave him a huge ovation. He rolled to the outside and shared a kiss with his wife.
(That was a ton of fun. Incredibly emotional from the start. Gunther was every bit as dominant as regularly advertised, and they sold the idea that he was unbeatable incredibly well. Zayn, for his part, showed off why almost nobody sells better or fights from behind quite as well as he does. The crowd was certainly split in the early going, but as Gunther became more dominant and more cocky, the tides shifted and the crowd got heavily behind Zayn. By the time the big comeback happened at the end, he’d whipped them into a frenzy. I thought this was both guys at their absolute best. A great match with a ton of emotional investment, and a win that seemed to catch most by surprise. Sami can have great matches against a variety of opponents for a title that’s had new life breathed into it, while Gunther can move up the card where he now undoubtedly belongs. Great stuff.)
