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00:00Randy Orton enjoying the atmosphere as well. The point I was making is JBL once said that if he was going to build a professional wrestler from the ground up, it would be Randy Orton. I think many people today would say the same thing about Gunther.
00:15Yes, different generation. Obviously we talk about the experience differential of Randy Orton, but these are the two finest specimens you can imagine creating in a lap.
00:27So let me ask you this, Wade. You've been in a lot of hostile environments in your career. If you're Orton, what do you do to win the title tonight?
00:35Hostile environment for a veteran like Randy Orton? You just roll with it. You just accept, hey, I'm in foreign turf. It's been about 15 years since Randy hasn't been the most popular man in the building.
00:49He shrugs it off. He locks in on his opponent and he goes for that devastating RKO. It's what he does best.
00:56And it's not often that we see Gunther, if ever, rattle. Can he get rattled though because of this emotion and support from over 13,000 tonight?
01:0799.999% of wrestlers who've ever competed, absolutely yes. But Gunther does not suffer from human weaknesses like emotion like the rest of us. That's how he's built different.
01:23And here's the deal with Gunther. I mean, for most of his career, he's been a champion. When he was the NXT UK champion, he held the title for 870 days.
01:32When he was intercontinental champion, he held the title for 666 days. I asked if he could last longer as the world champ. All he looked at me and said, yeah.
01:42He expects to. He demands to. He would be disgusted with himself if he fails in pursuit of that. The man is a preparation machine.
01:52There's a deep dive on how to dismantle every opponent. And let's not forget this. Randy Orton took on Imperium's Ludvig Kaiser a couple of weeks ago.
02:03All that data would have been downloaded into the mind of Gunther in his preparation.
02:09You know, there's another thing brought up on the Countdown show today by our own Catherine Redmond. I think it was actually Captain Kelly.
02:16And she said that Gunther's been on these live events all week long in very physical battles with the likes of Ilya Dragunov heading into the night.
02:22Randy Orton has not wrestled all week long. Does that favor Gunther or favor Randy?
02:27It's veteran smarts of Randy Orton. He's been choked up in bed getting up early nights. He pushes on bananas.
02:35And Randy Orton's playing along with it. And that's why he's the Viper. That's why he's the best psychological mind in the business.
02:44Yeah, but you're right. Gunther's body has been battered all week by Ilya Dragunov. And get this. A real easy match against Sheamus.
02:51Two of the most physical guys we've ever seen in WWE.
02:55Chopped by Gunther. That stunned Randy a bit. And a chop by Gunther drops the Viper.
03:00The man who can chop like no other. The chest of Randy Orton already beginning to show some wealth.
03:08Following games are over now.
03:11And a big uppercut by Gunther.
03:25Oh!
03:28Gunther has not reacted to this audience once. He is not here for cheers. He's here for victory.
03:36It is a celebration in Germany tonight.
03:40Not only of course Gunther defending the world title, but the fact that a WWE premium watch has been held for the very first time in this country.
03:50Our first televised show last night. Smackdown. First time in 27 years we've done TV here.
03:57It has been a celebration for many days in Germany.
04:03It'll be a celebration tonight if Gunther can retain.
04:08Randy fighting backed up.
04:10Randy!
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07:38He's looking for a sleeper, but again the bad arm, the bad arm!
07:43Oh, delivered!
07:45Hyper extension of that elbow, close!
07:52This has been such great strategy by Randy Orton to really take down the world champion.
07:58And again, screaming in pain, cover by Orton!
08:09And a kick out by Guntler at one.
08:11Again, I'm trying to think back over the last couple of years to when I've ever seen Guntler in a situation like this,
08:18when he's been physically beat up by his opponent.
08:21There have been close calls for Guntler.
08:23Chad Gable took him to a limit a couple of times.
08:25Of course, Sammy Zane was a big win at WrestleMania.
08:27But I'm not sure if I've ever seen Guntler in this type of pain, in this type of trouble like he is right now with Orton.
08:35I mean, it's rare, but the truth is whenever Guntler has been in this predicament,
08:40he's almost always found a way out.
08:42Sheamus has beaten and battered the ring general.
08:46And again!
08:47Right back to the injured arm, cover by Orton, looking for a 15 world championship reign!
08:54No matter how battered the ring general is, he tends to find a way back.
09:00I will not write anybody off at this point, although things are looking good for the viper.
09:05But Randy Orton also looking down at Guntler, and he's got to be getting respect.
09:08Guntler continues to kick out.
09:10There's so much fight left in this champion, Guntler.
09:13He's one of the toughest men that you've ever seen.
09:16It's no shock, it's no surprise to Randy Orton,
09:18Randy Orton, what a great deep dive on Guntler's entire career,
09:22and of course, knows all about the physicality of the Austrian
09:26for the final of the controversial King of the Ring tournament.
09:29Yeah, that King of the Ring tournament, which Guntler won in, to Wade's point, controversial fashion,
09:34earned Guntler an opportunity at the world title at SummerSlam,
09:37in which Guntler capitalized on to win the gold.
09:40And now Randy Orton with a far away slam.
09:42Speaking of JBL, as we did earlier tonight.
09:45And landing on the arm pad and shoulder of Guntler.
09:48What happened to the neck of Randy Orton in the process of executing that far away slam.
09:53Again, into the cover for the world championship, and Guntler again kicks it flying.
09:58You've got to remember, there's a lot of miles on the clock of Randy Orton.
10:01We've seen this guy for years and years, fighting the best, putting his body on the line,
10:06ending up in hospital, ending up in surgery.
10:09No reference, at least, to an issue with the neck briefly after the one that we've seen so far tonight.
10:14Well, he's a guy with as much confusion surgery, Wade.
10:17Missed a year and a half of his career.
10:19Told me he never thought he was going to make it back.
10:21He had to have some experimental type of surgery,
10:23in order to just get back into the ring and be in this condition tonight.
10:26Yeah, we all heard that in the locker room.
10:28We heard the stuttlebutt, Randy ain't coming back.
10:30Randy's gone.
10:31Well, thank goodness that did not turn out to be the case.
10:34And Guntler hung on.
10:36He delivers one of his first offensive blows in a while.
10:39And then a clothesline to Orton as well.
10:41But every time he delivers one with that bad right arm,
10:44doesn't have quite enough force behind it.
10:47But again, see, just not quite enough power that Guntler's used to when he delivers that clothesline.
10:52I want to be clear, that is a devastating clothesline that Randy is eating.
10:56It's just not 100% of what Guntler can usually give you.
11:01And you're right, Randy's staying on his feet.
11:03Oh, Guntler.
11:04And runs into Orton again.
11:07Randy with a clothesline and now goes to champion.
11:10Now that's 100% of the vibe.
11:17Randy ducked underneath and there is vintage Orton.
11:19That is the power slam.
11:21Cover for the world championship and a kick out.
11:24Nobody can pull off that move quite like Randy Orton.
11:34Both men are down.
11:36Orton, Guntler.
11:38World heavyweight title on the line.
11:41I mean, if you're a betting man at this point, you put all your money on Randy Orton.
11:47Who has had the momentum ever since that connection with the steel steps.
11:52Guntler walking like a very different man.
11:55Orton's looking for that draping DDT and...
11:59Guntler used his left arm that time.
12:02To deliver a chop.
12:16And now Guntler realizes he's got to pull off the stops here.
12:18He's got to change his offense up a little bit.
12:20And again, took too much time.
12:22With that bad arm trying to make it to the top rope.
12:25Orton!
12:29Oh, goodness.
12:30And a headbutt.
12:32Orton smells blood here.
12:34He knows he's got the jab locked.
12:36He knows he's got him hurt.
12:37And he knows he needs to go in for the kill.
12:43Orton placed on the second rope.
12:45Guntler there as well.
12:47Up to the top now.
12:48High above the ring.
12:50Dangerous superplex from Orton.
12:53And that is a dangerous move.
12:54Again, we go back to the back surgery.
12:56And the neck issues that Randy Orton's had.
12:59High risk maneuver for the challenger here.
13:01Well, Randy's been pulling off that move his entire career.
13:05With what his dad, the cowboy Bob Orton, used to do.
13:09And Randy is devastating with it.
13:12Although in that moment, Randy may well have been his own worst enemy.
13:15Cover! Kick out by Guntler.
13:17And you see the cover.
13:18It was one arm gingerly draped over Guntler.
13:22There was no leverage in the pin whatsoever.
13:27It is a record-setting crowd tonight.
13:3013,149 at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.
13:37Guntler, the champion. Orton, the challenger.
13:41In what has been one of the most physical match-ups you'll witness.
13:46Guntler has career-long disdain for those who don't meet his high standards in that ring.
13:52That disdain, not apparent tonight against Randy.
13:56Guntler, the man is shaking.
14:06Did you hear that?
14:09Guntler in the process.
14:11Yes, but certainly Orton is aware there's still fight in the champ.
14:16Now Orton with a patented uppercut.
14:19And Guntler with a chop.
14:23And one from Randy.