Are Monster Heels An Outdated Template In WWE?

Not everybody loves a monster heel, but when done correctly, it can change the minds of even the most cynical of fans. When it comes to booking them, however, fans continue to learn that WWE simply refuses to stray from the familiar. Gunther is just the latest example of their tired approach to developing would-be monsters.

It may be too soon, but fans have seen this writing on the wall quite often in the past. As it pertains to the superstar formerly known as Walter, he’s now made three trips to Friday Night Smackdown, marking them all with brutally decisive victories over two—you guessed it—randoms, and a third glorified jobber.

Glorified Jobbers Are Still Jobbers

Now, squash matches in the early going are important. You need to be able to build up a monster slowly, and that means not rushing them into a situation that may squander all of their progress. Still, fans have to care—or, in this case, WWE has to give them a reason to. So far, they're 1-for-3 in that regard.

Fans love and appreciate Drew Gulak, but WWE doesn't seem to value him like fans do. His charisma and in-ring ability cannot be questioned, and yet, he's been made to be the comedic relief for weeks. For weeks leading up to WrestleMania Backlash, he was quite literally the punching bag for Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey as they attempted to one-up each other ahead of their title match. And while Gulak made the most of it, as only he and few others can, a glorified jobber is still just that: a jobber.

So, sorry Mr. Gulak; we know that you were, on paper, Gunther's toughest test to date during his early SmackDown run. But it's hard to even take that seriously given the fact that Gulak hadn't wrestled on SmackDown in over two years.

There Are Intriguing Matches To Be Made

So often, these heels are undercut before they are given a chance to really get going, but it doesn’t have to be that way. A potential issue is the fact that Gunther is a heel, and unfortunately the blue brand doesn’t boast much in the way of popular babyfaces at the moment. Or at least, ones that can be seen as challengers anytime soon.

Drew McIntyre tops that list, but it's all about Roman Reigns and The Bloodline for him right now.

Then there’s Ricochet, WWE’s current Intercontinental Champion. Imperium’s leader would undoubtedly get plenty of heat, as fans adore Ricochet, but that may be more out of indifference than anything else. We cannot say for certain right now. Plus, if WWE has him lose too early, then what? And, it's not as though they care a whole lot about their midcard titles anyway.

5 Wrestlers Gunther Should Face After His WWE Smackdown Debut (& 5 He Shouldn't)

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods? Sorry, they’re currently locked in a strange and meandering feud with Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch.

On the surface, it’s tough to see where a promising opponent for Gunther is going to come from right now, and for various reasons that’s a shame. Truth is, there are matches up and down the roster that could be an ideal fit. His work inside the ring cannot be questioned; neither can his presence. Everything about him is menacing and imposing. Yet as is too often the case, something’s missing. By now, it should be obvious as to what the issue is.

Who is the character?

RAW is currently experiencing their own potential problem with Veer Mahaan, which boils down to this: there is so little behind his characte. It is a template that has become so paper thin at this point that it is almost laughable; insulting, even. At least Mahaan can say he took out both Rey and Dominik Mysterio. Over on Smackdown, nobody with any name value has stood in Gunther’s way… yet.

Hope On The Horizon?

Judging by recent events, there may be positives to point to.

It’s worth noting that over Gunther’s last four WWE Live Event appearances, he’s scored four victories—two over Shinsuke Nakamura and two over Sami Zayn. But until fans get to see that on a weekly basis, it’s going to be tough to place much trust in creative’s direction. Maybe there’s something to build on with Nakamura—maybe. So, let’s see it. One too many squash matches against no-names, and this man is destined to fail. It's a delicate balance that WWE is seemingly still trying to strike.

If they want fans to invest, they must adapt. We’re past being told ‘Be afraid of them.’ That isn’t enough anymore; that hasn’t been enough for a very long time. Slow builds are welcome if interesting seeds are planted along the way, but at the moment there’s nothing to latch onto.

Show, don’t tell—against somebody who is going to create a lasting impact.

Don’t feed Gunther to Reigns anytime soon. Or McIntyre. But for once, something different has to be done. When it comes right down to it, there has to be a character underneath the persona. Otherwise, WWE will forget about Gunther just like they have countless others.

So too, will the fans, if they haven’t already.