Gunther vs Akira Tozawa (WWE Monday Night Raw 2/24/2025)
Review by Nathan Heslip
The WWE as a product is 82% not my thing. I don't think it's very good professional wrestling. While I will admit I like some of the wrestlers they have on the roster, (spoiler, I'm talking about one of them in this review) a greater chunk of the WWE just isn't for me. But man, this is something that's absolutely “my shit”.
Gunther in my opinion is the best guy they have on their roster in an in-ring deal. I can name a few others like Sami Zayn, Ilja Dragunov, Chad Gable and a handful of others. They don't put in the “cinema” dorky entertainment habits in their stuff, they just – for a lack of a better term, wrestle. They hook me in with the story they tell inside the ring and Gunther is the easiest to understand, he's a big guy – a “brick shit house” if you will. He walks in, kicks your ass and counts his bills while you get carted off. It rules. Not easy to topple but it's happened before. You look at the guys he's lost to in title matches, guys Ilja Dragunov, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn. Not exactly as big as Gunther but guys with a bigger heart. A drive much faster than Gunther’s. The hypothetical “casual fan” every WWE fan makes up sees that and can understand how someone like that could defeat Gunther. But then there's Akira Tozawa.
Akira Tozawa is someone who I personally feel that WWE is wasting by putting him in a geek group. And Gunther even acknowledges that, he knows Tozawa is a great talent, but he doesn't respect what Tozawa’s become. He demands Tozawa to put up a fight so he can possibly earn his respect. He wants Tozawa to go back to the man he once was, not this goof that does “tik tok dances” in the back. He pushes him around demanding respect and Tozawa finally shows his fire. A pump kick rocks Gunther and Tozawa follows up with a few shots but Gunther’s already on the defense with a boot and Tozawa sells this like he was shot.
This would be the normal squash finish but Gunther lets Tozawa continue, he's looking for his heart, he wants Tozawa to keep going. But what Gunther doesn't realize is that it might cost him. Tozawa responds with a chop but we know where this leads Gunther slams his hand into Tozawa’s chest, still proving his point. He can't find the fire inside Tozawa. It's over. Gunther lifts him up but Tozawa shows life, putting Gunther in a guillotine and when that fails, Tozawa wastes no time and kicks Gunther in the face, the embers are forming. But Gunther stops Tozawa’s momentum by kicking Tozawa into the corner. He lifts Tozawa back up into a powerbomb - but it fails again as Tozawa lands a code red into a nearfall. Now the flame is burning bright.
But it's weak. The hearts still in it but there's not enough wood to support the flame Tozawa reaches the top rope before leaping in the air but Gunther finally drives Tozawa into the mat with a powerbomb. Gunther puts Tozawa into a Boston Crab, this is possibly what puts out the flame. But Maxxine Dupri and Otis are the last of the fire wood left in the pile, which fuels Tozawa. It gives Tozawa the strength to make it to the rope. There's sparks of hope left over. Gunther lets Tozawa up, it's his last chance to burn bright. But Tozawa, as much as he can give — only has a few embers left before dying out. Gunther realizes this and chops down Tozawa before picking him back up and putting him through the mat with a powerbomb. First the fire, now the heart. Gunther could've ended it there, but he's unsatisfied. He lifts Tozawa up in a rear naked choke, Tozawa’s legs are dangling above the mat and the ref has no choice but to end the match. The heart gave out.
Even if you knew deep down in your heart of hearts that Tozawa had 0 chance of pinning the world heavyweight champion, you couldn't deny he had the heart to do it. And possibly if they were to ever stand toe-to-toe again, maybe Tozawa can join Ilja, Cody and Sami along those names to pin Gunther. That's what's so great about this and this is what some squashes should be. Let the geek show some passion, let some people if not everyone in the building think for just a single second that this guy could really beat the champion. Masterful wrestling. A match that maybe only those two could put on. A great example of how great in-ring storytelling is.
My Final Thoughts: If Triple H was actually a good booker, he'd see what Tozawa did in this match and slot him somewhere in Raw’s mid-card division and separate him from the Alpha Academy gimmick. Let him be a beast. You obviously know he can be one after this match, just let him do the stuff he did to get a contract. Not stupid dances to pop the crowd.
My Rating: ****