5 Stars Who Could Come Back To Fight Gunther On Nick Aldis’ Behalf At WWE SummerSlam 2026

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The upsetting loss did not sit well with the Austrian star. He headed backstage and had an altercation with Friday Night SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis. What started as an argument soon turned physical.

WWE officials intervened as the two appeared ready to come to blows. As a result, higher-ups had to take disciplinary action; Nick Aldis has been placed on administrative leave, and Adam Pearce has taken over in his absence.

Pearce was seen doing General Manager duties in Aldis’s absence on the latest edition of Friday Night SmackDown. Adam appeared during the kick-off segment of the night, after the chaos unfolded between Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes over a title shot.

The Raw General Manager proposed a solution, booking a No. 1 Contender’s Match between Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes. The winner was guaranteed a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship against Zayn on Raw in Chicago. The American Nightmare won the match and now will face Sami for the Undisputed WWE Championship on Monday.

Nick Aldis remains away from SmackDown, and WWE has not officially announced an in-ring return for him. In this listicle, we will be predicting five superstars who could face Gunther on Nick Aldis’ behalf at WWE SummerSlam 2026:

#5 Ghost from the Ring General’s past

Gunther is one of the most dominant WWE superstars of this generation. His current run a testament to that, with WWE presenting him as a “career killer” after major wins over legends.

So far, he has been linked with career-ending wins over Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. There are only a few stars who have actually beaten him in major matches. One of those names is former United States Champion Ilja Dragunov.

Ilja and Gunther have a great history. Dragunov ended The Ring General’s iconic 870-day reign as WWE NXT UK Champion, and their match to this date is remembered as one of the best matches in NXT UK history.

Currently, Dragunov is away from WWE television, but reports suggest that his return is on the horizon. That said, Gunther could challenge Nick Aldis for a match at SummerSlam 2026, but the SmackDown General Manager could instead bring someone to represent him.

And there would be no better name than Ilja, given his history with Gunther. Giving fans another glimpse of this rivalry on the road to SummerSlam 2026 would be a treat.

#4 Former Undisputed WWE Champion

Another star who had a tussle with General Manager Nick Aldis is Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior has been off WWE television since his Unsanctioned match against Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 42.

He is reportedly completing his Hollywood commitments. It’s been a long time since McIntyre has been a babyface, and he definitely needs a new direction.

Hence, in a shocking turn of events, McIntyre could make his jaw-dropping return on the Road to SummerSlam to save Nick Aldis from Gunther.

The former Undisputed WWE Champion could return as a changed man and kick off his babyface run by helping Nick Aldis, a person he hated, by facing Gunther at SummerSlam, adding another box-office attraction to the two-night PLE.

#3 Randy Orton

The Viper has been away from the Stamford-based promotion since losing his Undisputed WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes, and so far, there have been no clear signs of his return. Cody Rhodes is engaged in getting his strap back and is also rumored to face CM Punk at SummerSlam.

If that’s the case, the Apex Predator is left with no opponents. To enhance SummerSlam’s star power, WWE could add him to the card by having him target Gunther before earning a future rematch against Cody Rhodes. That would make Orton look like a legit threat.

Gunther has been on a wild streak of retiring legends. He may target Nick Aldis next, but Randy Orton could step in to earn another championship opportunity. The General Manager could deny it and ask him to earn his shot, assigning him the task of beating The Ring General at SummerSlam.

#2 Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin left WWE in November 2024 after the Stamford-based promotion did not renew his contract. But now, rumors have intensified that he is finishing up all his commitments to come back to World Wrestling Entertainment.

If the rumors are true, his return as General Manager Nick Aldis’s enforcer to take on Gunther at SummerSlam 2026 would be a perfect comeback for the Lone Wolf.

#1 Sheamus

The Celtic Warrior has been missing from the WWE ring since November last year owing to a shoulder injury. However, the former Champion has started teasing his return to the company.

There may be no better time for Sheamus to return than the road to SummerSlam 2026. General Manager Nick Aldis could put up a challenge in front of Gunther and put a stipulation that if he manages to beat his mystery opponent at SummerSlam, he gets a guaranteed match against him at the next PLE.

Sheamus could be revealed as the mystery opponent for Gunther directly at SummerSlam, marking a perfect return moment.