Ludwig Kaiser recently disclosed that he was the one who initiated the split from former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther. Their longstanding friendship began on the independent wrestling circuit before they both joined WWE, where they became part of the faction Imperium alongside Giovanni Vinci. This group was a dominant force in NXT UK and NXT, known for their strong presence in the wrestling scene.
Changes Within Imperium After Transitioning to WWE’s Main Roster
Once Imperium moved to WWE’s main roster, Giovanni Vinci was removed from the group, leaving Gunther and Kaiser to work as a duo. Despite this, their recent collaborations have been infrequent. On the Kennt Jeder podcast with Hamad Firdousi, Kaiser shared that he felt the need to push his career further by establishing himself independently.
“Imperium originated in wXw as Ringkampf, even though it was set up differently. We were all on the same level, but with different characters. Timothy Thatcher was the roughneck for the dirty work. I was the arrogant young boy. WALTER (Gunther) was the slaughterer to kill everyone,”
Kaiser stated, outlining the distinct roles they played early on.
Ludwig Kaiser’s Perspective on His Role and Desire for Growth
Kaiser elaborated on the dynamic within Imperium, explaining that Gunther was the leader, while he was mainly involved in the tag team scene.
“Gunther is insane, he unlocks something in people that only few can. You need to know your place. My job was to make his act better and not take anything away. But at some point you want more and you get to a point where you want more,”
Kaiser expressed, highlighting his frustration with remaining in a supporting role.
He reflected on how continuing to work under Gunther limited his opportunities:
“But if you keep walking behind Gunther, I remain the tag team guy. We realized something needs to change, so we did. Of course there is a risk, but in America you need to bank on yourself and on your skills. You need to have the balls to do that. You will get that chance, you need to use it. I would say for myself I did just that.”
Implications of the WWE Split and Future Prospects
The decision by Ludwig Kaiser to part ways with Gunther marks a significant turning point in both wrestlers’ careers, especially given their shared history and dominance as Imperium. The split reflects Kaiser’s ambition to break free from a secondary role and establish his individual presence in WWE, even though it involves considerable risk. This move could reshape their trajectories within WWE, emphasizing personal growth and new opportunities in a competitive environment.
Ludwig Kaiser revealed that it was his and Gunther’s idea to split up their pairing:
“Imperium originated in wXw as Ringkampf, even though it was set up differently. We were all on the same level, but with different characters. Timothy Thatcher was the roughneck for the dirty… pic.twitter.com/zSRKUuVT5C
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) September 21, 2025
