Gunther‘s recent booking on WWE SmackDown has reportedly raised questions behind the scenes, with some members of the company’s creative team said to be frustrated by his current direction.
According to WrestleVotes on Fightful Select, confusion is growing around Gunther’s position on the roster, especially after his high-profile victories over several WWE legends. Over the past year, Gunther has ended the wrestling careers of Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles, establishing himself as one of WWE’s most formidable competitors.
However, despite those significant accomplishments, his momentum has seemingly stalled since his move to Friday Night SmackDown. The Ring General defeated Styles in the latter’s retirement match at the 2026 Royal Rumble before facing Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 42. However, that encounter did not lead to a sustained storyline for the former World Heavyweight Champion.
More recently, Gunther suffered a pinfall defeat to CM Punk during a Money in the Bank qualifying match and has subsequently been involved in a feud with Danhausen on SmackDown.
Gunther’s WWE Booking Reportedly Raises Questions Backstage
The apparent shift in Gunther’s presentation has reportedly prompted discussions among those involved in WWE’s creative process.
“In speaking with a source, it was mentioned to us that his current direction has raised questions among those in creative,” Fightful reported.
According to the report, the concerns largely stem from the contrast between Gunther’s previous presentation as a dominant force capable of retiring wrestling legends and his current involvement in less prominent storylines.
The situation has also attracted attention outside WWE’s creative team, with John Cena recently discussing the Austrian star’s booking following their retirement match. Despite the reported frustration, WWE has not indicated it will change his creative direction.
For now, the former World Heavyweight Champion remains involved in his rivalry with Danhausen, although questions reportedly persist behind the scenes about how WWE intends to utilise him moving forward.
