There have been hints and speculation about SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis returning to the ring in WWE, but those have mostly involved Aldis and fellow former NWA Worlds Heavyweight champion, and current Raw General Manager, Adam Pearce.
More than a few folks, including this writer, have wondered how Gunther would be booked to rebound should he fail to win the WWE championship from Cody Rhodes on a second-straight premium live event today (Sat., June 27, 2026) at Night of Champions. If you watched the show or have just been surfing the wrestle-web this evening on your way to this article, you know that Gunther is not holding WWE’s top prize again after its latest premium live event in Saudi Arabia. That’s because his old nemesis Sami Zayn is.
Coming out of the below scene from the Night of Champions Post Show, we’re now wondering if Aldis’ first match since 2023 couldn’t be the answer to our Gunther query. In it, Der Ring General confronts his kayfabe boss backstage in Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena. Things get physical during this rant from Gunther, as Aldis warns him multiple times about putting hands on officials before shoving back and signaling the pull-apart:
“Hey, you happy now, huh? Is that what you wanted? Listen, you screwed me over in Europe, you screwed me here. What is it with you, huh? What is it about you? Is it personal? You know what it is? You’re jealous. You would love to be in my position. You’re [bleep]ing jealous because you’re a failed wrestler. You have failed. You’re miserable. That’s what you are… What you gonna do, huh?”
It’s not the path I expected for either, so I’m not sure what I think yet. Help me out, Cagesiders.