Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus for WWE IC Title Set for WrestleMania 39
Gunther will defend the Intercontinental Championship against both McIntyre and Sheamus in a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania 39.
McIntyre and Sheamus fought on Friday night's episode of SmackDown for the right to challenge Gunther for the IC title at WrestleMania.
However, the match ended in a no-contest. Gunther interrupted the proceedings and confronted both McIntyre and Sheamus. Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci of Imperium then got a sneak attack in on the IC title contenders, but both were soon thrown out of the ring.
But Gunther got the better of McIntyre and Sheamus. Neither man was able to defend himself against the champion, who notably powerbombed Sheamus onto McIntyre's back.
After these events, WWE official Adam Pearce announced that a Triple Threat match for the IC title would take place.
Last week, Pearce booked a No. 1 contender's match between McIntyre and Sheamus on this week's SmackDown after a Fatal 5-Way failed to determine Gunther's opponent for WrestleMania.
The Fatal 5-Way included McIntyre, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, LA Knight and Xavier Woods, but McIntyre and Sheamus both scored pinfalls at the same time, leaving the match with two winners.
Ever the intimidating presence, Gunther insisted he would have only one opponent at WrestleMania and not two, prompting Pearce to announce McIntyre vs. Sheamus for the title shot.
McIntyre and Sheamus have long had a complicated relationship on WWE programming, as they have been both the best of friends and the bitterest of rivals.
Last year, they joined forces in an effort to combat The Bloodline, making McIntyre an honorary member of the Brawling Brutes. McIntyre and Sheamus then continued to team up after that, sometimes referring to themselves as the Banger Bros.
Issues cropped up between them a couple of weeks ago, though, when McIntyre went to the ring and issued a WrestleMania challenge to Gunther.
A furious Sheamus confronted him in the ring and expressed disbelief that McIntyre would do such a thing based on McIntyre's knowledge that Sheamus had been trying to get another title opportunity against Gunther ever since losing to him at Clash at the Castle in September and in a subsequent rematch on SmackDown.
Several other Superstars attempted to inject themselves into the conversation as well, which is what led to the Fatal 5-Way and then the singles match between McIntyre and Sheamus.
Since WWE was once again unable to determine a definitive winner between McIntyre and Sheamus, the decision was made for Gunther to defend the IC title against two of the toughest Superstars WWE has to offer at WrestleMania.
Gunther vs. McIntyre vs. Sheamus has a chance to be a special match and a potential show-stealer, making it an ideal candidate to open either Night 1 or Night 2 of WrestleMania 39.
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