Nick Aldis back on RAW and SmackDown after WWE suspension
SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis defied his administrative leave to confront Gunther on the July 6 WWE RAW, then was officially reinstated on the July 10 SmackDown episode after a backstage altercation with Gunther at Night of Champions. The arc keeps the Undisputed WWE Championship picture unstable heading into SummerSlam.
Key Takeaways
- Nick Aldis appeared on the July 6 RAW despite being on administrative leave after his Night of Champions fight with Gunther.
- On July 10 SmackDown, Aldis announced WWE had reinstated him as SmackDown general manager and opened the show with CM Punk.
- Adam Pearce temporarily ran SmackDown while Aldis was sidelined and clashed with him backstage on RAW.
- SmackDown booked CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and Sami Zayn for the July 18 Saturday Night's Main Event.
Why did Nick Aldis appear on WWE RAW while on leave?
According to WrestleZone, Nick Aldis made an unexpected appearance on the July 6 episode of WWE RAW even though WWE had placed him on administrative leave. The broadcast had already turned chaotic when Gunther ambushed Cody Rhodes, leaving Rhodes bloodied and casting doubt over the night's main event.
Later backstage, RAW general manager Adam Pearce confronted Gunther about the attack. Before that conversation could go much further, Aldis arrived and ignored the leave order imposed after his Night of Champions altercation with Gunther.
Gunther told Aldis, "We know you failed as a wrestler, and now you're failing as a general manager." Security separated the pair, but Aldis and Pearce then traded heated words. Pearce criticized Aldis for letting emotions jeopardize matches, while Aldis blamed Pearce for putting Cody Rhodes' championship match at risk.
What triggered Nick Aldis' suspension after Night of Champions?
411Mania reports that Aldis was placed on leave following a backstage confrontation with Gunther at WWE Night of Champions. An enraged Gunther, having failed to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, confronted Aldis about being "screwed over" by Sami Zayn's addition to the match and accused Aldis of being "jealous" of him.
The exchange turned briefly physical before it was broken up. During Aldis' absence, RAW general manager Adam Pearce served as the temporary authority figure for SmackDown.
Is Nick Aldis back as SmackDown general manager?
Yes. On the July 10 SmackDown, Aldis opened the show in the ring and announced that he had been cleared and reinstated as SmackDown GM. He took full responsibility for the Gunther altercation, though he said he believed his actions were justified, then brought out new Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk.
The reinstatement closed a brief absence that followed his backstage fight with Gunther at Night of Champions. For more on how WWE storylines are reshaping its weekly shows, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
What's next for CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther?
Per Fightful, SmackDown set up a tag team match for the July 18 Saturday Night's Main Event: CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and Sami Zayn. The bout was announced after Gunther demanded that Aldis address SummerSlam's main event and Aldis said he would consider Gunther's request.
The match lands before Punk and Rhodes are expected to face each other at SummerSlam, keeping the Undisputed title chase and the Aldis-Gunther feud intertwined across brands.