During Monday’s episode of RAW, following the WWE Night of Champions, the company announced that SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis is on administrative leave due to a backstage altercation with GUNTHER that occurred at the 2026 Night of Champions premium live event last Saturday night.
The incident took place during a backstage segment after Sami Zayn won the Undisputed WWE Championship. GUNTHER approached Aldis and expressed his frustration at being overlooked because of Zayn’s inclusion in the match. He accused Aldis of jealousy, which led to a brief physical confrontation before they were separated.
There were questions on the post-show about who instigated the conflict, and RAW later reported that Adam Pearce will serve as General Manager for both brands while WWE officials review the situation. GUNTHER has also been sent home following the incident, as noted by Michael Cole.
The post-show hosts hinted that this incident could lead to further developments. Although Aldis has not participated in any matches since joining WWE, it has been mentioned multiple times that he is not retired.
