Ludwig Kaiser fined, says attack on Giovanni Vinci was money well spent

With Vinci gone, who might replace him?

Gunther is advancing to greater heights after declaring for a spot in WWE’s upcoming King of the Ring tournament. Yet, Giovanni Vinci, a burden to him and Imperium stablemate Ludwig Kaiser, won’t be joining him on this journey.

After Vinci cost his team another match, Kaiser unloaded on his longtime tag team partner during this week’s episode of Raw. At first, he consoled Vinci. But as they went to leave the ringside area, Kaiser went off, beating Vinci like a drum. As officials tried to separate Kaiser from his fallen friend, Kaiser circled back and dropkicked Vinci’s face into the steel ring steps.

Though Kaiser’s actions seemingly pleased Gunther, they did not sit well with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, who told Kaiser to meet him in his office and bring his checkbook, indicating a financial punishment was coming. Kaiser merely smirked and said, “Money well spent.”

While it’s clear that Kaiser has no issue splurging on removing the anchor that’s been tying him and Gunther down for months, the question becomes what’s next for Imperium. Recent reports suggest that Gunther and Kaiser are tentatively planning to stay together. If this holds, one wonders if Imperium will remain a party for two or seek a third member.

An obvious choice to come in and pick up Vinci’s slack would be Russian and European star Ilja Dragunov. The now-former NXT Champion appears to be on his way to WWE’s main roster after dropping his title to Trick Williams this week at NXT Spring Breakin’. Despite his past rivalry with Gunther, Dragunov has a fierce style that would make him a welcomed addition to the stable.

However, Dragunov’s intense charisma doesn’t align with Imperium’s minimalistic approach to doing business. A better fit might be NXT’s Charlie Dempsey. Son of William Regal, Dempsey is a no-frills performer whose style aligns seamlessly with Imperium’s. Despite being early in his WWE career, his current membership with the No Quarter Catch Crew, and his status as NXT’s Heritage Cup Champion, Dempsey could be the ideal choice to replace Vinci.

What do you make of the state of Imperium, Cagesiders, and who would you like to replace Giovanni Vinci?

Let us know in the comments section.