Imperium (professional wrestling)
| Imperium | |
|---|---|
| Tag team | |
| Members | Gunther (leader) Ludwig Kaiser |
| Name(s) | Imperium Ringkampf |
| Billed heights | Gunther: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Kaiser 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Combined billed weight | 459 lb (208 kg) |
| Billed from | Europe |
| Former member(s) | Alexander Wolfe Giovanni Vinci |
| Debut | 22 May 2019 |
| Years active | 2019–2025 |
Imperium was a professional wrestling team consisting of leader Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser. They are currently signed to WWE, where they perform on the Raw brand.
Previously working for several European promotions, including together as part of the stable Ringkampf, Gunther and Kaiser (then known respectively as Walter and Marcel Barthel) signed with WWE in 2019. They debuted on the NXT UK brand and were paired with Italian wrestler Giovanni Vinci (then known as Fabian Aichner) and German wrestler Alexander Wolfe; the stable started to use the name Imperium and importing their Ringkampf motto of Die Matte ist heilig (English: "the mat is sacred"). During their time in NXT, Walter became the longest-reigning NXT United Kingdom Champion, while Barthel and Aichner became two-time NXT Tag Team Champions.
Wolfe was kicked out of Imperium in May 2021, and Aichner left the group in April 2022; later that month, Gunther and Kaiser debuted on the SmackDown brand as a duo and dropped the Imperium name, with Gunther later becoming the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion. Imperium reunited as a trio when Vinci rejoined in September 2022, but he was kicked out in April 2024.