The May 1, 2026, episode of SmackDown showed Gunther made a surprising statement by choking out Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes right after his match.
The night started with Rhodes cutting a promo and giving the update about his medical clearance. Following that, he got immediately challenged by the main roster debutant Ricky Saints.
The match went as expected. Rhodes won by pinfall with Cross Rhodes. However, he didn’t get much time to recover.
Gunther targets the WWE Championship after choking out Cody Rhodes
Gunther suddenly rushed into the ring and went straight for his brutal Sleeper hold.
What made it worse was how far Gunther took it. Rhodes was already helpless, but Gunther didn’t stop. Even after the champion passed out, he kept the hold locked in, forcing referees to step in and pull him away. The message was loud and clear.
Gunther is going after the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Looking at Gunther’s recent run, it’s easy to see why. He is coming off a huge win at WrestleMania 42, where he made Seth Rollins pass out.
Over the past year, he has built a reputation as WWE’s “Career Killer.” He has retired big names like AJ Styles, John Cena, and Goldberg. These were not just wins; they felt like the end of an era for those legends.
And now, his target is Cody Rhodes. Their past adds more to this feud. Rhodes has beaten Gunther before, at Crown Jewel 2024. But this version of Gunther is completely different.
However, The Ring General’s situation is still a bit tricky. Seth Rollins might have some unfinished business with him. Also, Gunther has revealed his intentions of leveraging a “favor” he did for Paul Heyman after he saved him from Rollins’ attack earlier.
On the other hand, CM Punk had also set his sights on Cody Rhodes’ title.
Read More: Solo Sikoa Sends Warning to Roman Reigns After Usos Attack on WWE SmackDown