WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Results: Gunther Retains World Title

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther was able to overcome not just one but two of his bitter enemies at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

In front of a jam-packed crowd in Nassau Coliseum, Gunther defeated both Damian Priest and Finn Balor to retain his title, blasting Balor with a massive powerbomb to cap off an action-packed, high-paced triple threat match that was exciting from bell to bell. Now, the three stars involved in the triple threat match are all heading in opposite directions.

As well as Gunther was booked as Intercontinental Champion, even a successful title defense at Saturday Night’s Main Event can’t quite quell concerns about his recent booking.

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Gunther, reportedly in the process of turning babyface for the first time in his WWE career, hasn’t had the same aura and mystique that made his historic IC title reign so memorable. It was just in early 2024 that Gunther lost his championship to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40, and he quickly rebounded with a victory in the King of the Ring tournament and a world title win over Damian Priest at SummerSlam in August.

Ironically enough, that hasn’t exactly helped Gunther. Underwhelming feuds as champion—combined with sudden vulnerabilities as he transitions to a face role—have left him feeling less like a world champion and more like a character in flux. A babyface turn, in theory, could do Gunther wonders, but as a heel, he’s been arguably the best-booked star in WWE history in his brief career.

Even after retaining at Saturday Night’s Main Event, there is reason to be concerned about how he will be portrayed heading into 2025. Will he be the same Gunther he was as Intercontinental Champion or the vulnerable, less confident Gunther we’ve seen over the past several weeks?

It may take a move to SmackDown in the “transfer window” to reignite Gunther’s massive push, and with WWE expected to swap titles during the window, that could be just what Gunther needs to build on a victory at Saturday Night’s Main Event that alone won’t be enough to fix his recent booking.

Part of the reason why Gunther has stagnated is that he continues to feud on and off with Priest, who also recently turned babyface and is generating strong reactions but has been stuck in an endless loop of rivalries with both Gunther and Balor. Priest’s exit from The Judgment Day hasn’t truly been tested, though, as he’s still associated with the group—this time as its bitter rival.

Whereas Gunther’s title reign is clearly lacking the luster of his IC title reign, Priest is really stuck in an awkward position as a borderline top star who’s going to struggle to surpass those above him. With the likes of CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn on Raw—as well as potential changes in the transfer window—Priest may have already reached his peak.

Balor, on the other hand, is trending in the right direction for the first time in years.

Often playing second fiddle to other stars in Judgment Day over the past couple of years, Balor is reportedly in line for a significant singles push in 2025. That is evidenced by his sudden involvement in the world title picture, and even with a loss on Saturday, it could extend into next year as he still looked strong even in defeat.

Once a beloved babyface, Balor has found new life as a heel, where he’s excelled in The Judgment Day and, following the exit of Priest, is getting mega heat on Raw. As Balor experiences a career rejuvenation, he’s leaving Saturday Night’s Main Event in a better position on the card than he has been since 2016, when he was the first-ever Universal Champion.

As his heat remains red hot, Balor may not have won at SNME, but his recent booking has been more intriguing than both Priest and Gunther, who are cooling off despite their consistent spots in the main event scene.