A Better LA Knight Opponent, the Right Feud for Gunther, More WWE and AEW Quick Takes

A Better LA Knight Opponent, the Right Feud for Gunther, More WWE and AEW Quick Takes0 of 5

LA Knight would have much more to gain from a WrestleMania match with Logan Paul than AJ Styles.Credit: WWE.com

One of the most memorable moments at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 saw AJ Styles interfere in the men’s same-titled match to attack LA Knight and cost him the chance to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.

The angle all but confirmed that the two will face off at The Show of Shows, and although the quality of the contest is not in doubt, Knight would have benefited far more from facing Logan Paul with the United States Championship up for grabs.

Instead, The Maverick seems likely to defend against Randy Orton following their altercation inside the Chamber, but intercontinental champion Gunther’s opponent remains unknown.

The Ring General reigned supreme over Jey Uso to retain his title on the Feb. 19 edition of Raw and no indication was given who would be next to step up. Of the few potential contenders waiting in the wings, only one makes the most sense.

This installment of Quick Takes will look at the best possible WrestleMania match for Gunther, Wardlow getting back on track in All Elite Wrestling, Tiffany Stratton’s stock skyrocketing at Elimination Chamber, and more.

WWE Misses the Boat by Not Having LA Knight Challenge Logan Paul at ‘Mania1 of 5

LA Knight has emerged as one of the biggest babyfaces in all of WWE since being left off last year’s WrestleMania and should be positioned prominently on this year’s card.

A match with the decorated AJ Styles is hardly a bad place to be, especially with the many months of bad blood between them. Thus, the payoff coming at WrestleMania 40 should have been expected, but it’s not a situation where The Megastar has much to gain.

The next step of his ascent in WWE should involve holding gold. Not counting his brief reign as Million Dollar champion in NXT, he has yet to win a sanctioned title in the company and already failed to capture the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on two different occasions.

A feud with the United States champion Logan Paul would have fulfilled that. They had instant chemistry the few times they crossed paths last summer, and the beloved Knight would be the perfect person to dethrone the detestable social media star.

Randy Orton, who appears to be in line for a shot at the star-spangled prize instead, hardly needs it. A multi-man match isn’t completely out of the question, but Knight getting the singles spotlight with the gold up for grabs would have been the ideal direction for ‘Mania.

Tiffany Stratton on Track to Shine at ‘Mania After Breakout Performance2 of 5

Everyone involved in the women’s Elimination Chamber match had an impressive performance, but Tiffany Stratton stood out with her stellar showing and cemented her status as a star rapidly on the rise.

In addition to having a solid first month on SmackDown, she more than held her own against some of WWE’s finest female talent Saturday and even eliminated the experienced Naomi. She also had the Perth crowd behind her for the entire time she was out there.

At only 24 years old, Stratton joins Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair as one of WWE’s most promising prospects. The best way to capitalize on the buzz she has coming out of Elimination Chamber is to put her in a match at ‘Mania.

A one-on-one outing with The EST of WWE would be an excellent use of both gifted athletes.

Belair has an undefeated streak at The Show of Shows to maintain, and simply sharing the squared circle with her would lend credibility to Stratton regardless of the outcome.

While she shouldn’t be rushed into championship contention anytime soon, Stratton has quickly found her footing on the main roster and can be a cornerstone of the women’s division for years to come.

Wardlow’s Standout Promo Proves He Isn’t Damaged Goods3 of 5

Wardlow’s gradual fall from grace in AEW over the last two years has been well-documented, with many ready to write him off as a case of what could have been.

However, his explosive promo on last Wednesday’s Dynamite running down all of the wrongdoings his character has endured was enough to instill faith in fans that he can still bounce back.

Joining Undisputed Kingdom was a step in the right direction, but Adam Cole’s injury combined with subpar booking has cooled them off considerably. Wardlow becoming the focal point for the foreseeable future could heat them up again, though.

Tapping into the criticisms of the way he has been handled by AEW and turning it into a storyline could be ultimately get him back to where he once was: in the good graces of the audience at the top of the card.

Wardlow excels when he is intense, and he has shown he has the necessary mic work to be a main event player in AEW. This redemption arc will make or break his chances of reaching his full potential, and if it’s the latter, he could be due for a fresh start elsewhere.

Jimmy Uso Match Is Significant Step Down for White-Hot Jey4 of 5

Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso has been the clear direction for WrestleMania 40 as far back as SummerSlam when the former shockingly betrayed the latter in his pursuit of Roman Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

The Usos told Ariel Helwani of BT Sport the month prior that wrestling each other one-on-one on The Grandest Stage of Them All was their “No. 1 dream,” so its setup was never in doubt despite their interactions being far and few between since the fall.

As it stands, though, facing the ice-cold Jimmy at the event is a significant step backward for the white-hot Jey.

The brotherly battle has been more appealing on paper than in execution. Jey has racked up several high-profile losses and still finds himself incredibly over with the audience, while Jimmy has been positioned as nothing more than a Bloodline lackey not to be taken seriously.

The longest-reigning tag team champs in WWE history could end up stealing the show, but Jey’s star has soared to a point where he’d be better suited in a more meaningful match on the card come April 6-7.

Sami Zayn Makes Most Sense to Challenge Gunther at WrestleMania5 of 5

Gunther’s rumored WrestleMania match with Brock Lesnar being scrapped—confirmed by the intercontinental champion himself in an interview with David Taub of Off the Bottom Rope—has opened up a lucrative spot at WrestleMania 40.

Bron Breakker’s recent interaction with Imperium backstage on Raw pointed to him being the next No. 1 contender to the title, but that bout is no longer as likely with the NXT call-up now on SmackDown.

That leaves Sami Zayn, Chad Gable, Sheamus and Andrade El Idolo as the best possible opponents for Gunther at the event.

Gable and Sheamus’ stories remain unfinished, but the latter has been out injured for months and the former has won only two televised matches since September. Andrade would be a fresh challenger for the titleholder, but Zayn has the strongest story to tell.

The three-time intercontinental champ has talked extensively about needing to redeem himself by making history at WrestleMania. It’s the biggest marquee match of the bunch and it’s almost irrelevant who goes over.

Unless he works his way into the World Heavyweight Championship matchup where he can resume his rivalry with Drew McIntyre, Zayn targeting Gunther is the most appropriate program for the intercontinental title at The Show of Shows.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.