WWE Cancelled Two HUGE Matches For Gunther This Year... (WWE News)
Gunther's road to SummerSlam could've looked VERY different. 2026 could've been different overall!
Gunther was supposed to tangle with both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar in 2026 before WWE's creative plans shifted, according to fresh reports from Self Made Pro.
The 'Ring General' has missed out on some seriously tasty matches during the first half of the year, including what seemed to be a logical clash with Lesnar at SummerSlam. Instead, Brock lined up his Hell In A Cell blow off clash with Oba Femi, and Gunther still doesn't have a match locked in for the August PLE.
It's looking more and more likely that he'll butt heads with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis. Either that or Aldis will find somebody to wrestle the Austrian on his behalf. Gunther has kinda been shoved out of the WWE Title scene by the CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes announcement, but that's always something the writing team can pick back up on later in the year.
Self Made Pro was careful not to blame Lesnar for this change in direction. If anything, he says that sources behind the scenes think Brock is "the least creatively picky" he's been for a long time. So, it wasn't 'The Beast' standing in the way of that match with Gunther - WWE bosses just wanted to put a bow on the Oba thing.
Unfortunately, that's sort of left Gunther without his dream match or a top tier spot on PLEs like SummerSlam.
His match vs. Reigns was supposed to happen "in the late-spring/early-summer", but creative shifted on that too. Maybe the final quarter of the year will be more fruitful for one of WWE's best in-ring workhorses. He's had banner moments opposite Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles and others this year, but bouts vs. Roman and Brock would've been huge.