Former NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER has permanently made his move to NXT, undergoing a name change which has shocked the wrestling world.
WALTER has been renamed Gunther, which came just days after WWE trademarked the name Gunther Stark. In a huge blunder, Gunther Stark has been revealed to be a former U-Boat captain for Nazi Germany during World War II. It is a huge, unavoidable mistake by WWE. WWE have always been behind the times regarding social issues, so clearly referencing a genocide that happened nearly 100 years ago is in very poor taste.
WALTER has huge star potential in WWE. He was the greatest NXT UK Champion of all time, holding the belt for nearly two years before losing it to Ilja Dragunov in the best WWE match of 2021. He was at first hesitant to move tot he US, but recent personal issues meant that he was more open to the move in recent months.
The name WALTER was synonymous with the monstrous Austrian who had some of the greatest matches in the world. Fans were excited to fantasy book huge dream matches for him, against the likes of Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. However, the recent change of character has dampened those expectations, and fans immediately lost interest in the man now known as Gunter Stark if rumours are to be beleived.
WALTER has not commented on the name change. However, former NXT and WWE star Keith Lee made his feelings clear towards the new, frankly racist direction by WWE.
Check out our list of the best WALTER matches or read about whether or not Hulk Hogan is returning to WWE
Hamish is a writer and podcaster and wrestling fan who is a key part of the Atletifo team.
After playing countless hours of WrestleMania X8 on the Gamecube, he discovered Rey Mysterio getting his head crushed by The Great Khali, and thus a love for professional wrestling was born.
He is also a Media Graduate, as well as writing for multiple sites about Premier League football and the culture of Wales – his home country.
