Gunther's Dominance and Biggest Takeaways From WWE SummerSlam 2023 Results

Gunther retained the Intercontinental Championship Saturday at SummerSlam, narrowly escaping a grueling match with Drew McIntyre and continuing a historic reign of dominance that has resulted in his status as the most credible heel on the WWE roster.

The Ring General's latest victory is just one of the big takeaways from a pay-per-view that crowned new champions, launched new stars and highlighted just how effectively Triple H and the creative team have presented The Judgment Day over the last 12 months.

Dive into each with this recap of the August 5 premium live event.

LA Knight Victory Proves WWE Is Committed to Capitalizing on His Popularity

There was a moment not all that long ago when it appeared WWE would resist the growing popularity of LA Knight, refusing to elevate his stature on the show or do anything of real substance with him.

Then the ovations grew louder, and it became more difficult to deny the runaway train that was his connection with the audience.

Saturday night's win in the Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal was an acknowledgment by WWE officials that they hear the crowd and are prepared to move on a Knight push. The self-proclaimed Megastar is ready for one, too.

An over catchphrase, a naturally charismatic star and a fanbase ready to erupt every time his theme music plays make up a recipe for success that WWE will not pass up.

On the heels of the signature victory he has sought for months now, Knight is ready to blast off into the atmosphere as the next breakout star in wrestling's top promotion.

That WWE is sending him to New York to be the host for the Mets' home game on August 8 is further evidence of its commitment to getting him in premier spots in the hopes that all fans will know exactly who he is when he is pushed.

Not bad for a guy who worked as a manager for a couple of models upon his main roster call-up a year ago.

The Judgment Day's Evolution from Failed Concept to WWE's Top Faction

The Judgment Day really has no right to be as effective or as over a faction as it currently is.

A year ago, it was a failed concept that had seen Edge jump ship before it hit an iceberg, and the addition of Dominik Mysterio felt more like a vehicle for family drama than anything benefiting Finn Bálor, Damian Priest or Rhea Ripley.

Fast forward 12 months, and the faction has developed into the most over group in WWE, thanks in large part to a concentrated effort to highlight the individual personalities in the stable.

Mysterio is the spoiled brat daylighting as a hardened criminal following 12 hours in prison, Ripley is every fan's favorite Mami, Bálor is the leader and Priest is the enforcer with eyes on greater things and a shiny briefcase to make it happen.

Their presence on Raw is undeniable. The Judgment Day is the lifeblood of the show, a faction with multiple ongoing storylines that have helped serve as the foundation of the flagship show.

The moving pieces and the characters at play have helped heat up a show that was ice-cold only six months ago.

Following Saturday's SummerSlam, in which Priest inadvertently cost Bálor the World Heavyweight Championship after Seth Rollins utilized the Money in the Bank briefcase to deliver a stomp to his longtime rival and successfully retain his title, it appears dissension within the group will dominate its direction for the foreseeable future.

As long as the creative stays true to the characters and back stories that have been put in place over the last year, there is no reason to believe the faction cannot remain a vital and engaging part of Monday nights.

The Path to a Bianca Belair Heel Turn

Credit: WWE.com

First, Bianca Belair endured the frustration of being denied a rematch against Asuka for a WWE Women's Championship she was screwed out of at Night of Champions in May.

Then, she watched as Charlotte Flair walked back into WWE after a post-WrestleMania vacation and instantly jumped her in line for the title opportunity.

Saturday, Belair overcame a potentially devastating knee injury to defeat The Queen and The Empress of Tomorrow to regain her title...only to lose it to an opportunistic Iyo Sky, who cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase to rob The EST of WWE of her hard-earned gold.

With this latest development, plus Belair's mounting frustration and husband Montez Ford's new-found association with Bobby Lashley in a reconfigured Hurt Business, there is an opportunity for WWE to turn The EST heel.

It's an opportunity it should not pass up.

The EST has done it all over the last two years, becoming one of the most popular stars on the roster while carrying the mantle for women's wrestling, regardless of which show she finds herself on.

To prevent a familiar scenario of fan burnout on a given star, WWE should seize the chance to freshen her up, let her show off that heelish attitude fans became acquainted with in NXT and reap the rewards.

Belair is too good to into creative mediocrity because she stayed babyface for too long when there was a perfect opportunity to switch things up and avoid stagnancy.

Gunther Beats Drew McIntyre Clean, Remains WWE's Most Credible Heel

Despite Drew McIntyre providing his toughest test to date, Gunther emerged from his latest Intercontinental Championship defense with his reign intact following a clean win.

The Ring General endured tremendous punishment from the two-time WWE champion, including a battered chest that would make ground beef cringe.

In the closing moments of the match, though, he delivered a thunderous powerbomb and stacked his challenger up for the pinfall victory, moving within mere days of unseating The Honky Tonk Man as the longest-reigning IC champ in WWE history.

The manner in which he won, without chicanery or interference, further solidified Gunther's status as the most credible villain on the roster.

He does not revert to referee bumps, incessant interference or cheap wins. He beats his opponents because he is a better wrestler. He out-physicals them, punishes them and tests their wills. His endurance is better. His ability to absorb punishment is greater and eventually, he just outlasts them.

It's a refreshing trait, especially in an industry that has a rich history of heels who use every shortcut imaginable to win matches and retain titles.

Gunther is a legitimate in-ring competitor who fans believe can beat anyone, which is why the drama for his title defenses against McIntyre, Sheamus, Ricochet and countless others has been as engrossing as they have been.

The same can be said about his performance in the men's Royal Rumble and why there was actual drama surrounding his match-ending interaction with Cody Rhodes.

As long as Gunther is allowed to be himself and continue gritting out wins, he will remain over with audiences despite an unflashy character and move set. More importantly, he will carry credibility that other heels, including Roman Reigns, simply don't.

Could the Elevation of Solo Sikoa Be the Endgame in Bloodline Saga?

Credit: WWE.com

Jimmy Uso stunned the WWE Universe by betraying his brother, Jey, in the closing moments of Tribal Combat. Despite the latest development in WWE's answer to the primetime soap opera, though, it was Solo Sikoa who stood out as the potential benefactor of the entire story.

Over the last six months, fans have watched Sikoa stand by Roman Reigns, listening to him and supporting him physically when need be. He is, after all, The Enforcer.

Recently, though, he has grown skeptical of The Tribal Chief and his special counsel, Paul Heyman, showing hints of a brute who understands more than he lets on and may be ready to usurp Reigns as The Head of the Table.

We witnessed it again Saturday night, when Sikoa was accidentally on the receiving end of a spear from Reigns and then appeared to be angry when he confronted him about it moments later.

That, coupled with skepticism of Heyman Friday night on SmackDown, and the tease of him refusing to hand over the ceremonial lei to Reigns a month or so ago, suggests he may have aspirations of his own that do not fall in line with what The Tribal Chief expects of him.

If the endgame is for Reigns to make a star out of someone, Sikoa is as good as any, especially given his recent improvements to his body language and the physical nuances that are so key to the audience's acceptance of any story.