WWE SmackDown last night saw Gunther finally reveal the stipulation for his upcoming world title match against Cody Rhodes on June 19. The Ring General made an interesting choice, catching many viewers off guard.
At Clash in Italy, Gunther lost to Cody Rhodes in an Undisputed WWE Championship match in a controversial manner. The former Imperium leader’s foot was under the bottom rope when The American Nightmare successfully pinned him. Technically, the referee should have stopped the pinfall attempt due to a rope break. However, he failed to notice the positioning of the challenger’s foot.
Thanks for the submission!
Rhodes instantly granted Gunther a world title rematch due to the mix-up in Turin. It was also announced that The Ring General would pick the contest’s stipulation. Last night, The Austrian Anomaly announced that Sami Zayn will be the special guest referee for the championship bout on June 19.
Sami Zayn has had his fair share of issues with both Gunther and Cody Rhodes in recent weeks. Despite being friends, Zayn and Rhodes have had several heated arguments. Meanwhile, The Ring General believes The Master Strategist belongs nowhere near the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Many fans are wondering why Gunther chose Sami Zayn as the special guest referee for his upcoming title match against Rhodes. The Ring General is known for making calculated decisions on WWE TV. Hence, he is unlikely to make a choice that will not benefit him.
In this article, we will discuss three reasons why the 41-year-old WWE star is the special guest referee for Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther on SmackDown next week.
#3. To execute Sami Zayn’s much-awaited heel turn
Sami Zayn has organically become a bad guy in recent months. Fans showered him with loud boos when he defeated Carmelo Hayes to win the United States Championship on the Road to WrestleMania 42. Despite being a babyface, he received negative reactions from viewers during his recently concluded feud with Trick Williams.
Zayn has constantly been butting heads with Cody Rhodes. It’s clear that The Master Strategist is frustrated with his inability to win the WWE World Title. The 41-year-old is about to reach his breaking point in his pursuit of the coveted championship.
The Master Strategist seemingly needs to embrace his dark side to achieve his goal. He is widely expected to turn heel and betray The American Nightmare soon. The upcoming Undisputed WWE Championship match seems like the perfect stage to execute Sami Zayn’s much-awaited heel turn. Zayn could deal a huge blow to The American Nightmare by attempting to cost him the championship.
Gunther knows that Rhodes and The Master Strategist are not on the same page. He is aware that their friendship is falling apart. Hence, he chose Zayn as the special guest referee for his upcoming title match on SmackDown.
WWE could use the bout to pull the trigger on Zayn’s heel turn and add him to the world title scene. The Master Strategist is immensely popular in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it would make sense for the company to book him in a Triple Threat title match against Rhodes and Gunther at Night of Champions 2026 in Riyadh.
#2. To make the upcoming title match on WWE SmackDown unpredictable
In recent months, WWE has been criticized by viewers for booking predictable and monotonous storylines. However, the creative team is seemingly attempting to change things around. The results of the King and Queen of the Ring tournament matches have surprised many fans.
The Undisputed WWE Championship program is among the top storylines in the company at the moment. However, there is not much hype surrounding the angle, arguably due to lackluster booking. The creative team needs to act quickly if they want to save the storyline from being a failure on SmackDown.
Cody Rhodes is unlikely to drop the gold on an episode of WWE SmackDown. However, the inclusion of Sami Zayn in the upcoming title match has made things unpredictable. Zayn’s evolving relationship with Rhodes and hunger to win the big one could significantly impact the match’s outcome.
As the special guest referee, Zayn could tilt the odds at any given moment in the contest. This would keep fans on the edge of their seats and capture their attention.
#1. WWE cannot afford to make both Cody Rhodes and Gunther look weak on SmackDown
Cody Rhodes is WWE SmackDown’s top champion and is coming off a huge win over the legendary Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42. Meanwhile, Gunther has been portrayed as an unstoppable force over the past year, retiring icons like Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles.
Both Rhodes and Gunther have a lot of momentum. They cannot afford to suffer a clean loss or look weak on WWE SmackDown. The creative team booked a controversial finish to their title match at Clash in Italy. This time, they will need a unique angle to protect Rhodes and The Ring General.
Sami Zayn’s inclusion in the Undisputed WWE Championship match could allow the company to deliver an angle where both Gunther and Rhodes look strong regardless of the outcome. Zayn could influence the match’s result on WWE SmackDown without hampering the momentum of the two competitors.
Edited by Pratik Singh