The separation of WWE stars Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser on television has been clarified by Kaiser himself, shedding light on the reasons behind their split. Their story dates back to their pre-WWE days when both were members of a team called Ringkampf, which laid the foundation for their wrestling partnership.
Ringkampf later evolved into Imperium in WWE’s NXT UK and NXT brands, establishing a familiar presence before both Gunther and Kaiser moved together to the main roster. The team originally included Giovanni Vinci, who later rejoined the group when called up but was eventually removed, leading Gunther and Kaiser to continue as a duo.
Reasons Behind Their On-Screen Separation
Although still aligned and sharing similar entrance themes and visuals, Gunther and Kaiser have been distanced from each other in recent WWE storylines. On the Kennt jeder podcast, hosted by Hamad Firdousi, Ludwig Kaiser revealed that the decision to split was their mutual idea driven by evolving individual ambitions.
Kaiser explained that their original team dynamic was based on equality among members with different personas in Ringkampf, where Timothy Thatcher was the enforcer, Kaiser the arrogant youth, and Gunther (formerly known as WALTER) served as the dominant force. Upon forming Imperium, Gunther became the central figure while Kaiser was primarily seen as part of the tag team.
He stated,
“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. But if you keep walking behind Gunther, I remain the tag team guy. We realized something needs to change, so we did.”
Ludwig Kaiser’s New Direction and Risks Taken
Kaiser acknowledged the risk involved in breaking away but emphasized the need for wrestlers in America to trust their abilities and seize opportunities. He noted,
“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.” — Ludwig Kaiser
This decision marked a turning point in Kaiser’s career, allowing him to develop independently rather than remaining in Gunther’s shadow as a supporting act.
Recent Developments and Current Status of Both Wrestlers
Recently, Ludwig Kaiser adopted the role of El Grande Americano, a character previously portrayed by Chad Gable, who is sidelined due to shoulder surgery. Besides Kaiser, Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate have also appeared as masked partners accompanying Americano in WWE programming.
Gunther, meanwhile, has been on hiatus since SummerSlam because of nose surgery but is anticipated to make his return to the ring soon. Their separation in storyline reflects a natural progression of their careers, allowing both wrestlers to explore personal growth and new challenges within WWE.
The Significance of the Split and What to Expect Next
The split between Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser highlights the changing dynamics of WWE’s roster and the individual aspirations of its wrestlers. Although the separation creates tension and disappointment for fans who admired their unity, it reflects the reality of evolving careers in a competitive environment.
Moving forward, Kaiser’s transformation into El Grande Americano and Gunther’s upcoming return suggest both will continue to make significant impacts on WWE programming. Their decisions to pursue distinct paths could lead to fresh rivalries and storylines, intensifying the competition and keeping audiences engaged.
