When this year's Royal Rumble match came down to John Cena and Jey Uso, it seemed like a given that the Leader of the Cenation would win the 30-man bout. Instead, the former Intercontinental Champion was the one left standing tall at the end of the night.
It was a strange decision and one that many fans have since rejected. The main argument is that Uso's entrance is more over than he is, while the fact that World Heavyweight Champion Gunther has already beaten him multiple times has led to questions about what the point of this rematch is.
WWE appears to have taken at least some of the feedback on board because "Main Event" Jey Uso won't be challenging Gunther during the main event of either night of WrestleMania.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Gunter was asked if he's happy with where he and the World Heavyweight title are being positioned heading into the Show of Shows in Las Vegas next weekend.
"I am, yes, especially the last two weeks were very important," he responded. "I am happy, but it was a challenge because it was like a ten week build. To really find something that excites you for ten weeks in a row is hard, especially with all the other stuff going on. I think we managed it very well. The last two weeks, we got it on route to where it's supposed to be."
"It's always a little like, what I want myself, what I see as the best idea, it doesn't always happen. It's not the nature of how the business works, and then you have to be mature enough to realize it's not every week," the Austrian continued. "There is always a better idea for something and at the end of the day, it's not about my personal taste and what I would like. It's about what's best for the product at this point overall. In that regard, I think we managed it very well and going into Mania we've set the tone very well."
Asked if he was surprised when Jey won the Rumble, Gunther admitted that he didn't picture the former Tag Team Champion as his "ideal" WrestleMania opponent (a sentiment many fans have agreed with since Uso's win back in February). Despite that, he appears to be on board with the match.
"Yes, I was actually. At the end with Cena, but looking back at it, Cena is on his last run and that's how you want to use him. Put him in the ring with somebody that is on his way up or is red hot in the moment. I was surprised. I didn't think Jey would be my ideal opponent for WrestleMania because we are very different, but rethinking, it makes a lot of sense."
"In WWE right now, I'm the perfect counterpart to everybody who is on his way up and red hot and wants to achieve a certain something," Gunther explained. "I'm a good party pooper when it comes to that. At the end, I was happy he won. He deserved it. I'm glad we started a program now."
You can hear more from Gunther in the player below.