Gunther originally had a match with Royce Keys planned for SummerSlam 2026, according to Dave Meltzer.
Following the Night of Champions main event between Gunther, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes, The Ring General had a confrontation with SmackDown General Manager, Nick Adlis. He blamed Aldis for his loss to Zayn and Rhodes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Things turned physical between the two, and as a result, they were sent home by WWE.
The current expectation is that Aldis will make his in-ring return against Gunther at this year’s SummerSlam. However, the original plans were different for Gunther.
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Gunther Was Going To Face Royce Keys At SummerSlam 2026
In a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that the original plans for Gunther heading into SummerSlam 2026 were to start a new program with Royce Keys. But the company went into another direction with Aldis-Gunther, and Meltzer is hoping that it’s only a one-time thing.
“They’re going to wrestle at SummerSlam, yeah. Aldis, I guess because he’s big, with the big shoulders and all that in the suit, there’s always been that thing like, ‘Oh, he should wrestle.’ Hopefully it’s only a one-match thing. I like him as a General Manager, and I think if they replace him, they’re probably replacing him with someone who’s not as good. If he becomes a wrestler, I don’t think he’ll be successful at this stage of the game. But for one match on a big show? Sure.”
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Aldis hasn’t been active in the ring for almost 3 years now.
He signed with WWE back in August 2023 and was appointed as the SmackDown General Manager. He’s done a good job so far, but even back then, fans questioned if this was the right role for Aldis.
A few years back, right before joining WWE, Aldis said that he was “very much in my prime” and dismissed the retirement rumors. For now, we don’t know if Aldis’ rumored in-ring return is a one-off thing or not.
Are you excited to see Gunther vs. Nick Aldis at SummerSlam 2026?
For more on Gunther, Royce Keys, SummerSlam and pro wrestling (WWE, AEW, etc.), you can check out this page. If you’re new to watching wrestling, check out our WWE streaming guide, which is updated for 2026.
Main image credit: WWE
Wrestling news reporter.