Making the Case For Gunther Beating Cody Rhodes at WWE Clash in Italy

In WWE, swerves for the sake of swerves don't feel good. They're inauthentic and back the booking into a corner that's hard to escape. 

Swerves that mix things up for purgatory-like wrestlers like Cody Rhodes and Gunther, though? 

Fire away, WWE. 

Please. 

Rhodes and Gunther are set to do battle at Clash in Italy on Sunday from Turin, a maybe main event on the same night as matches like Roman Reigns-Jacob Fatu and now Oba Femi-Brock Lesnar, among others. 

But the match could just as easily open. Or, at this point, be a cool-down match before the main event, putting it second-to-last on the card. 

The flexibility isn't a good thing: It's an indictment on where the two wrestlers are right now. 

A shame, too. Gunther is the man who retired John Cena. But fans would be hard-pressed to recall everything he's really been doing since. What should be one of the most notable boosts in the sport's history has led to… matches with the likes of L.A. Knight, Sami Zayn, and eventually a "career-threatening match" with AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble. 

That's not to downplay those mentioned wrestlers. But it speaks to the rudderless booking for Gunther after his big moment. Fittingly, he didn't even appear to have a spot on the WrestleMania card until the last second, when injury happenings freed up Seth Rollins for a match (and they stole the show, of course). 

Similar, long, drawn-out story for Rhodes, whose "story" angle over multiple 'Mania main events was littered with outside meddling and weird decisions. By the time the title was around his waist, he settled into typical-weekly-show-champion stuff. That…also fittingly… culminated in him unexpectedly losing his title to Drew McIntyre on an episode of SmackDown via…outside interference. 

Rhodes then, apparently, desperately needed the title back from McIntyre before 'Mania, so he got it back. Only to, by the way, spotlight in one of the worst 'Mania main events in modern history on Night 1, beating Randy Orton in a feud that included Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll, only for Orton to senselessly beat him down after the match and stand tall…despite being the loser. 

Got all that? 

Gunther beating Rhodes in Italy might seem like more directionless stuff for both guys. During a stretch that feels like "offseason" for WWE, even. 

But it doesn't need to end up that way. It doesn't need to be as directionless as McIntyre winning, earning deserved backlash for the eventual conclusion to that angle. 

On paper, Gunther winning could get both guys back on track. It is painfully, painfully obvious that Rhodes is best in chase mode. Unless he suddenly shifts and does the heel turn that would make him compelling, he needs to be the (so-called) underdog seeking a title. Years and years have shown this now. 

Gunther holding a top title and taking on all challengers in a sort of final-boss role would be compelling television for this type of stretch, too. Keep in mind that, while Lesnar is in a feud with Femi right now, perhaps this leaves the door open for a "retirement" match with the Beast at SummerSlam, too. 

That doesn't need to happen anymore. Gunther can do just fine defending his title at SummerSlam and beyond without the Lesnar bump. WWE seems to forget, but he is the guy who retired John Cena. Hello?

If they can rebuild Gunther a bit (it's wild he needs reestablished now, but alas), it could be a boon to up-and-comers on the roster like Je'Von Evans and Bron Breakker. Heck, Femi, too. 

This would require WWE stepping out of its comfort zone with someone like Rhodes as a headliner, though. Then, believe it or not, follow up with good booking that has an eye on the long-term outlook. 

No easy task, apparently, but there's no reason Rhodes should have such shoddy booking around 'Mannia. No reason Gunther was even a threat to miss the event outright. 

The course correction could start now with a Gunther win. It's a chance for WWE to prove onlookers wrong, or at least show that they can start to get this thing back on track without any perceived outside meddling impacting the sport, as a nice bonus.