CM Punk Praises Gunther After Historic Match in Austria
CM Punk delivered heartfelt words to Gunther after their Steel Cage match in Vienna, Austria, recognizing the World Heavyweight Champion’s talents in front of his hometown crowd.
A meaningful exchange between two of WWE’s most respected competitors closed out the action in Vienna last Saturday night. Following their Steel Cage confrontation on WWE’s European tour, an unexpected moment of respect punctuated what has been an intense series of matches between two of the company’s most technically gifted performers.
After sharing the ring with The Ring General Gunther in a cage I know that I’m never going to be forget Vienna. This man is a champion for a reason, he represents championship calibre people, hard-working, blue collar, salt of the earth, Vienna pride. Congratulations champ, I’ll see you down the line.
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CM Punk told the Austrian crowd after Gunther successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship. Unlike their previous encounter in Belfast which ended in a double count-out, this cage match produced a definitive winner as the hometown hero secured the victory.
The Vienna event marked one of the final stops on WWE’s Road to WrestleMania European tour, which has taken the company through Barcelona, Dortmund, Brussels, and Glasgow before heading to Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome and ultimately concluding with Monday Night Raw in London. The Austrian fans were treated to a stacked card that also featured Rhea Ripley battling Liv Morgan in a Street Fight, Seth Rollins facing Dominik Mysterio, and LA Knight taking on Shinsuke Nakamura.
The respect shown between these two elite competitors adds an interesting wrinkle to the WWE landscape, particularly as Gunther prepares for his WrestleMania 41 championship defense against Jey Uso. Punk’s “see you down the line” comment suggests their rivalry may not be finished, potentially setting up future encounters between two men whose contrasting styles have meshed perfectly in the ring. For now, the Vienna crowd witnessed not just championship wrestling, but a genuine moment of professional admiration.
CM Punk showing huge respect to WWE World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER after their match in Vienna 🤝pic.twitter.com/u9a0EenHzH
— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) March 30, 2025
