WWE star Gunther has admitted there was one character he refused to play as a professional wrestler as it has become antiquated in the sport.
Throughout wrestling history, athletes who are not from America have been portrayed as the “foreign heel”, which sees them as a lover of their own country and bashing the United States at every opportunity. From The Iron Sheik to Nikolai Volkoff to Rusev and Jinder Mahal, WWE has frequently used the anti-American villain in storylines for the big babyface to overcome to create the feel-good patriotic moment for the fans.
However, when it comes to Gunther, this is not how he is presented. While The Ring General is Austrian, the Raw star’s dominating physical style and mocking of his opponents is what has made him a success in the promotion, not his nationality.
“I’m Not A Foreign Menace”: Gunther On WWE Character
While speaking with Cody Rhodes on the What Do You Wanna Talk About podcast, Gunther admitted he gets annoyed when people try to pigeonhole him as a typical foreign heel, and added that it was a stereotype he shut down immediately when he was presented with it:
“No, I’m not a foreign menace. I always get a little annoyed because they go, ‘He’s just a bad foreigner.’ I try to avoid everything that has to do with the flag. They put it on my trunks when I started out, they really wanted to put the flag on me. I got rid of it as soon as I could because it doesn’t do anything. It’s not 1990 anymore. Today, it’s about the person.”
Gunther’s current character has seen him dominate legends of the pro wrestling industry, as he defeated Goldberg and John Cena in 2025 and forced AJ Styles to retire in early 2026.
H/t to Fightful for the use of transcriptions.
Featured image: WWE
