Discover The Ring General’s Hobby History
Gunther is what you might call a classic wrestler — a real throwback. Avid WWE fan John Rosenberger says of the champ, “He’s got this great strike-heavy style, he’s a bit old-school. But, he’s also cold, a brutal destroyer.” Gunther is respected throughout the wrestling universe, considered one of the very best pure wrestlers in the world. Love him or hate him, he’s a winner. “He’s a tweener,” said Rosenberger. “But he’s a heel at WrestleMania 41 for sure.”
Gunther looks to continue his WWE World Heavyweight Championship reign by once again fending off crowd favorite Jey Uso in a rematch at WrestleMania 41.
The 37-year old WWE champ has truly done it worldwide. Hailing from Vienna, Austria, Gunther has competed in Japan, won championships in Germany and the United Kingdom, and held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt since August 2024.
Gunther held the belt when his cards were released as part of the 2025 Topps Chrome WWE set. A great base card, Frozenfractor variation, parallels, inserts, and autos give collectors myriad ways to chase the champ.
As Gunther looks to keep his reign going at WrestleMania 41, let’s take a look at his career and cards.
A Champion Without Borders
Gunther’s disciplined, ruthless style has brought success wherever he’s touched down. The Ring General first reigned in Germany. In late 2018, he signed with WWE and went to NXT UK, a wing of WWE’s developmental brand. It was there that Gunther, still fighting as Walter, really started to take off.
Gunther’s earliest Topps card can be found under his earlier ring name in the 2019 Topps WWE NXT release. His 2019 Topps WWE NXT Autograph card is one of the most coveted cards for Gunther collectors. A /25 sold for $199 in September 2023. This card remains a rarity, with a PSA population of 4.
Gunther made his Chrome debut in 2020 with his #100 base card and parallels. A PSA 9 Black Refractor /10 sold for $150 in May 2024.
Gunther, still fighting as Walter in the UK, became the longest-reigning NXT United Kingdom Champion, holding the belt for an incredible 870 days. This 2021 Topps WWE Fully Loaded Future Stars 1/1 auto is one of the last from the Walter era, and it remains one of Gunther’s most valuable cards, selling for $404 in October 2024.
Among other standout 2021 releases (the last year he would be fighting as Walter) are Gunther’s 2021 Topps WWE Transcendent and his 2021 Topps Chrome Slam Attax card.
This popular release is an homage to Match Attax soccer cards, featuring player ratings and an eye-catching design. Walter’s numbers are solid, but they’ve certainly gone up since then. The 1/1 Superfractor of this 2021 Topps Chrome WWE Slam Attax card sold for $700 last August.
Becoming Gunther
Gunther made his main roster debut in April 2022. Within months, he had taken the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Incredibly, his reign would last almost two years, including a rousing title defense at WrestleMania 39. The Triple Threat match, against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, earned the coveted five-star match rating from journalist Dave Meltzer.
Gunther’s 2025 Topps WWE Chrome Title Town insert card is a fun entry in the set, commemorating his defeat of Kofi Kingston in January 2024. His title reign was the longest in Intercontinental Champion history.
Less than four months after losing his Intercontinental belt, Gunther was crowned WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After earning a title shot with an electric victory at King of the Ring, the Austrian defeated Damian Priest at SummerSlam to capture the world title.
Holding the Fort in 2025
Mere weeks before his title bout against Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41, Gunther battled CM Punk in his native Austria. It was an emotional moment. Following the match, Punk said to the crowd, “After sharing the ring with ‘The Ring General’ Gunther in a cage, I know I’m never gonna forget Vienna. This man is a champion for a reason.”
After they shook hands, Gunther broke into an Austrian folk song with the crowd.
Sometimes, a card just fits. Gunther’s discipline, focus, athleticism, and unbelievable prowess and physicality have made him a worthy champion, considered by many to be the best pure wrestler on the WWE roster. His 2025 Topps WWE Chrome Marks of Champions is a perfect marriage of athlete and card design. This Orange Refractor Auto numbered to 25 sold for $800 in March 2025. This version of the card also features an inscription of Gunther’s ‘Ring General’ nickname.
Unsurprisingly, with Gunther set to defend his title, his 2025 Topps WWE Chrome cards have been well sought-after. At writing, the top sale from the set is for the Superfractor 1/1 of his phenomenal base card, which sold for $3,250 on April 15. Per Card Ladder, just days before WrestleMania 41, this is the biggest sale ever for a Gunther trading card.
While wrestling collectors wait to see if Gunther’s reign will continue with a win over Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41, his cards remain part of the recently announced 2025 Topps Championship Buyback Program. It’s a rematch worth waiting for — Gunther vs. Uso. Who you got?
For Full Details, check out the Topps Championship Buyback homepage.
