Original WWE plans for Gunther involved early showdown with Roman Reigns & clash with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2026 - Report
(Courtesy : Getty)
Gunther is currently feuding with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis.
‘The Ring General’ Gunther, since moving to SmackDown, has been involved in the Undisputed title scene. At Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia last month, he got involved in a feud with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.
The Ring General even attacked Aldis during last week’s SmackDown, and currently all signs point towards a potential clash between the two at WWE SummerSlam. However, a new report has revealed that this wasn’t the original plan for the Ring General.
Gunther was set to face Roman Reigns in early summer
According to Self Made Pro on the Self Made Session, WWE’s initial creative plans reportedly called for the Ring General to face Roman Reigns in late spring or early summer before transitioning into a blockbuster match against Brock Lesnar in Minneapolis.
“GUNTHER was supposed to face Brock at SummerSlam, and GUNTHER was supposed to face Roman in the late spring/early summer. For whatever reason, that got changed, so that switched up a lot of creative.”
[H/T: Wrestlingnoticias]
Right now, Brock Lesnar is set to face Oba Femi in a Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam. The trilogy showdown will see the two collide to break the tie in this feud.
On the other hand, World Heavyweight Champion Roman will defend the title against his former Shield brother, Seth Rollins, at Summer’s Biggest Party. Meanwhile, the Ring General is feuding with Aldis, but he is not officially confirmed for any match at the PLE.
He is currently set to team up with Sami Zayn to take on Cody Rhodes and Undisputed Champion CM Punk in a tag team match at the July 18 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event at MSG, New York.
What were WWE’s original plans for Gunther?
Per Self Made, WWE originally planned for the Ring General to face Reigns in a major match early in the summer before moving on to a showdown with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2026.
When and where will SummerSlam 2026 take place?
SummerSlam will air on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.