Gunther must decide whether to join SmackDown to challenge Cody Rhodes

Last week, Paul Heyman fulfilled his favor to Gunther by setting up a contract that would have The Ring General challenge Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, just moments before another volatile confrontation between the two Superstars. Will Gunther, however, officially move to SmackDown in order to challenge The American Nightmare at WWE Clash in Italy?




— Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video recapping the events of WWE Backlash.

— Trick Williams, Lil Yachty, and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks mascot Cocky then makes his way to the ring.

Williams voices his excitement for being back in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina and recalls eating local chicken wings at Kiki's Chicken and Waffles standing up with sauce that dripped onto his lemon pepper steppers. He says he had a lot of good days and some not so good ones playing for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, then points out his parents in the crowd.

The Miz's music hits and he makes his way to the ring alongside Kit Wilson. He says Cocky looks like a rejected mascot for his daughter's birthday party and says he looks like Sesame Street, but Yachty cuts off The Miz to defend Williams and reminds him that he's cursed.

Wilson reads a slam poem dissing Williams, Yachty, and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks but Yachty responds with a rap dissing The Miz and Wilson. The Miz raises his hand and says when his hand goes up, everyone else's mouths go shut. He mocks Columbia and says he'll beat down Williams in front of his mother.

Williams lands an open palm strike on Wilson to level him and sends him crashing out of the ring before sending The Miz out to join him.

Trick Williams (w/ Lil Yachty) vs. The Miz (w/ Kit Wilson)

The bell rings and the two lock up. Williams sends The Miz crashing into the mat, but The Miz lands a jawbreaker on Williams and lands a knee on his midsection. He follows it up with a knee to the back of Williams' neck, but Williams catches The Miz with a jumping neckbreaker and fires off stomps on him in the corner.

Wilson catches Williams with a flying back elbow on the outside as the referee is distracted by The Miz. Yachty gets in Wilson's face on the outside, but The Miz gets in Yachty's face. He sends Williams crashing into one of the barricades during the commercial break, then wears down Williams right in front of his parents.

Williams fires off chops on The Miz's chest, then dumps him back in the ring and blows a kiss to Williams' parents. Williams delivers a suplex to The Miz, and the two men exchange right hands before Williams levels The Miz with a leg lariat and a slam to The Miz.

Williams lands a uranage on The Miz back from the break and pins him, but The Miz kicks out and connects with a DDT on Williams. He goes for a pin, but Williams kicks out and The Miz fires off Yes Kicks on Williams' chest. Williams rolls up The Miz, but The Miz kicks out and Williams delivers a flapjack on him.

The Miz rolls up Williams, but Williams reverses the fall. The Miz kicks out and lands a Skull Crushing Finale on Williams. He goes for a pin, but Williams kicks out to The Miz's surprise.

Wilson distracts the referee as The Miz grabs a kendo stick. Yachty takes the kendo stick and hits Wilson with it, allowing Williams to land Trick Shot on The Miz in the ring for the win.

Winner: Trick Williams

— Cathy Kelley talks to Carmelo Hayes backstage. Hayes says he's been gone for a month and he's watched everyone make a mockery of the United States championship. Ricky Saints comes by and tells Hayes that he hasn't even said hello to him and since Hayes was gone for a month the landscape has changed. Saints tells Hayes to ask people about him and Hayes says this place has a way to humble people and that's absolute. Saints says he has to teach Hayes a lesson tonight.

— Rey Fenix and Nick Aldis talk backstage and Aldis commends Fenix on his work in AAA. Fenix leaves and Sami Zayn approaches Aldis. Zayn wants a rematch for The United States title. Aldis tells Zayn he's had his rematches and he now has to earn a title shot. Zayn gets pissed that people forget what he's done and Aldis says he hasn't forgotten anything and tells Zayn to deal with whatever is going on in his head. Aldis leaves and Zayn spazzes out. Fenix comes back and tells Zayn he doesn't even recognize who he is anymore.

— Cathy Kelley talks to Brie Bella and Paige backstage. Kelley asks them about their thoughts with so many teams coming for them and let us know they're fighting Judgement Day (Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez) on Monday at RAW. Bella and Paige says they're ready for anything. Nia Jax & Lash Legend come in and tell them they're rooting for them because they want to beat them at Saturday Night's Main Event. Jax continues talking and Bella's music hits and she tells them they have to leave because they have somewhere to be and leave. Jax and Legend feel disrespected.

— Back at ringside, Giulia and Kiana James make their way to the ring. Paige and Brie Bella follow.

Paige and Brie Bella vs. Giulia and Kiana James

Brie and James begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Giulia and Paige tag in, and Paige delivers a kick to Giulia's face. James trips Paige on the apron face first, and Giulia sends Paige crashing into the ring post as the referee is distracted by Brie.

During the commercial break, James prevents Paige from tagging out to Brie. She delivers a neckbreaker to her and fires off knees on Paige's spine, then lands a shoulder on Paige's midsection in the corner. Giulia tags in and looks to fly off the top rope, but Paige ducks out of the way and fires off right hands on Giulia.

Brie tags in back from the break and lands running knees on both Giulia and James. She delivers a Bella Buster to James and goes for a pin, but Giulia kicks out and Brie dumps her out of the ring. Giulia responds with a Northern Lights Bomb and goes for a pin, but Brie kicks out.

James tags in and looks to connect with a standing moonsault on Brie. Brie gets her knees up, but Paige tags in and delivers Ram-Paige to James, then pins her for the win.

Winners: Paige and Brie Bella

— Cody Rhodes walks backstage and we cut to a commercial break.

— Cathy Kelley is backstage with Tiffany Stratton. Kelley asks Stratton how she feels about flying solo. Behind her Kiana James and Giulia argue and Stratton says she's fine on her own. Chelsea Green comes in and Stratton tells her she doesn't like to be partnered up. Green says she agrees with James and Giulia as examples. Green says that won't be them and Stratton says they're not meant to be a team and leaves. Green is disappointed and tells Kelley that "that's so us" and that's how Stratton and her talk to each other.

— Back at ringside, Cody Rhodes makes his way out.

Having set up a table and slid two office chairs into the ring, Rhodes asks Columbia what they want to talk about. He says he has all of the formal ingredients for an Undisputed WWE Championship contract signing at WWE Clash in Italy.

GUNTHER's music hits and he makes his way out. He asks Rhodes if he knows how much time and planning it took to negotiate his deal to come to "SmackDown", then says Rhodes is making things about himself. He says the Undisputed WWE Championship will be his, then demands that Rhodes address him nicely and say please.

Rhodes says he'll make things simple, then says he has the contract for an Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy and all GUNTHER has to do is sign it. GUNTHER responds by saying he knows Rhodes didn't mean what he just said and tells Rhodes to say please.

Royce Keys' music hits and he makes his way out. He says if GUNTHER won't sign the contract for an Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy, then he will. Keys pushes GUNTHER and storms past him, then looks to sign the contract. GUNTHER grabs the pen from Keys, but Keys takes it back.

Nick Aldis makes his way out and says Keys will be going head-to-head with GUNTHER in a Number One Contenders Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash In Italy.

— MFTs are backstage watching on the screen. Solo Sikoa says the tag titles can wait, and asks Tama Tonga if he understands the assignment and tells Tonga to take out Damian Priest. Sikoa and Talla Tonga leave to talk to Aldis. Shinsuke Nakamura comes by and starts talking to Tonga and Talla Tonga comes back and beats up Nakamura and chokeslams him through a table backstage.

— Gunther and Nick Aldis argue backstage. Aldis tells Gunther all he had to do was sign his SmackDown contract and he'll get the match but Gunther played games and now he has to earn it. Gunther is angry.

— Carmelo Hayes makes his way to the ring. Ricky Saints follows.

Ricky Saints vs. Carmelo Hayes

The bell rings and Saints goes after Hayes. Hayes responds with an arm drag to Saints, but Saints lands one of his own on Hayes and delivers a boot to his midsection. Saints walks the top rope Michael Jackson style and delivers Old School on Hayes, then strikes his signature pose in the middle of the ring.

Hayes flies over the top rope to level Saints on the outside and lands a chop on his chest. He dumps Saints back in the ring and joins him, but Saints sends Hayes crashing into the ring apron face first and connects with a leg drop on him.

Hayes lands a suplex on Saints back in the ring during the commercial break, but Saints levels Hayes with a clothesline and the two men teeter on the ropes. Hayes sends Saints crashing into the mat face first back from the break and delivers a Frog Splash to him off the top rope, then goes for a pin but Saints kicks out.

Saints sends Hayes crashing into the mat with a slam and pins him, but Hayes kicks out and ascends to the top rope. Saints sends Hayes crashing into the corner chest first and pins him, but the referee catches him with his feet on the ropes. Hayes then rolls up Saints with his feet on the ropes for the win, with the referee not catching him.

Winner: Carmelo Hayes

— Royce Keys is backstage getting ready for his match. R-Truth comes by and thanks Keys for his help against MFTs. Truth invites Keys to the new clubhouse and Keys says he'll think about it and leaves. Damian Priest comes by and asks Truth what is up with Keys. Priest says MFTs are attacking everyone but Keys so he doesn't trust Keys. Truth tells Priest that he was right and him being out there for his match last week made him lose his match. Priest tells Truth he's staying backstage for his match tonight and leaves. Truth tells Priest he loves him.

— Danhausen causes chaos backstage and gets on a phone and talks about his experiment with the minihausens. Danhausen has another experiment and wheels in a cadaver and gets on a computer. Things start to short circuit and he gets to work on the computer.

— Damian Priest makes his way to the ring. Tama Tonga follows.

Damian Priest vs. Tama Tonga

The bell rings and Tama blindsides Priest from behind. Priest delivers a kick to Tama's head and charges at Tama on the outside, but Tama instead flies off the ring steps to deliver a forearm to Priest.

The two men return to the ring during the commercial break, and Tama fires off right hands on Priest. Priest sets up a Razor's Edge on Tama back from the break, but Tama reverses into a sleeper. Priest escapes and fires off right hands on Tama, then runs over him with a knee and follows it up with an elevated flatliner on him. He connects with a Broken Arrow and goes for a pin, but Tama kicks out.

Tama delivers a twisting neckbreaker to Priest and goes for a pin, but Priest kicks out and calls for South of Heaven. Tama fires off back elbows on Priest to escape, but Priest manage to land South of Heaven on Tama for the win.

Winner: Damian Priest

— After the match, Talla Tonga comes in and kicks Priest. Tonga beats up Priest and Solo Sikoa hits Priest with a Samoan Spike.

— Sami Zayn is complaining backstage for Nick Aldis calling him entitled. He complains to Johnny Gargano who is laying on a crate. Zayn talks about the past and how things were different. Candice LeRae tells Zayn this isn't happening and she gets pissed that Gargano is a vegetable and she leaves. Zayn tells Gargano to not listen to LeRae and not let anyone talk to him like that. Zayn leaves a motionless Gargano.

— Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin then make their way to the ring.

Cargill gets on the mic and says everyone acts tough when she's not in the building. She says when her music hits, everyone seems to get real quiet and says Rhea Ripley found that out last Friday. She says the Women's Championship will be coming home with her at WWE Clash in Italy.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss make their way out to the ring, and Flair says the fans don't want to hear Cargill talk. Bliss adds that South Carolina is Flair Country, but Cargill asks where Ripley is and says it's funny that someone gets so quiet when they get a pump kicked in the face. Bliss says Michin and B-Fab are supposed to be making Cargill look good, and Flair invites Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab to take a seat and take some notes. We go to a break.

— Back from the break, a vignette for Blake Monroe plays.

Michin and B-Fab (w/ Jade Cargill) vs. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair

Flair and Michin begin the action. The bell rings and Michin slides out of the ring to regroup with B-Fab on the outside. She gets back in the ring and manages to take down Flair, but Flair returns the favor.

Bliss and B-Fab tag in, and Bliss sends B-Fab crashing into the mat face first. She delivers two kicks and a shotgun dropkick to B-Fab, but B-Fab rains down right hands on Bliss and sends Bliss crashing into the mat with a spinning flatliner.

Michin tags back in during the commercial break and jams her knee into the back of Bliss' neck. B-Fab takes a cheap shot at Bliss from the ring apron, and Michin fires off stomps on Bliss in the corner. B-Fab tags in and fires off stomps on Bliss in the corner, but Michin tags back in and follows suit.

Michin and B-Fab continue tagging in and out before Michin gets Bliss up on one shoulder. Bliss counters into a DDT and tags in Flair back from the break, as B-Fab tags in on her side. Flair then levels B-Fab with a crossbody off the top rope and fires off chops on both Michin and B-Fab. Flair lands a Fallaway Slam on Michin to send her crashing out of the ring and kips up, then steps over B-Fab and ascends up the ropes.

Cargill hops up on the apron, opening the door for B-Fab to trip Flair and land a big boot on her. Michin tags in and flies off the top rope to level Flair, but B-Fab tags back in and lands a double boot on Flair with Michin.

B-Fab pins Flair, but Bliss breaks the fall. Michin takes a cheap shot as the referee is distracted by Bliss, and B-Fab rolls up Flair. Flair kicks out and cinches in a Figure Eight Leg Lock on B-Fab, but Michin breaks the hold. Bliss then makes the blind tag in, but B-Fab levels Flair with a spinning back heel kick. Bliss catches B-Fab with a Sister Abigail and pins B-Fab, but Cargill pulls Bliss out of the ring to break the fall and cause the disqualification.

Winners: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair (via disqualification)

— After the match, Cargill takes out Bliss and Flair takes out B-Fab and Michin. Flair goes to check on Bliss and she and Cargill lock eyes and Flair is ready to fight.

— We cut backstage, Cathy Kelley talks to Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid). They put the women's roster on notice and say they're united and they're here to take out everyone.

— Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss talk backstage. Flair asks where Rhea Ripley was today and that she's doing her best to include Ripley and be a team player. Bliss says Ripley owes them one and Flair tells Bliss she's not a woman who needs to collect on favours.

— Royce Keys warms up backstage. Solo Sikoa comes by and tells Keys he can help him beat Gunther. Sikoa tells Keys to not listen to Jacob Fatu and to follow him. He tells Keys he'd hate to see what happened to Shinsuke Nakamura to happen to Keys. Keys says he has this, and Sikoa says that's what Fatu said before his life shit the bed.

— Back at ringside, GUNTHER makes his way out. Royce Keys follows.

Undisputed WWE Championship No. 1 Contender's Match: Gunther vs. Royce Keys

The bell rings and GUNTHER retreats to the outside of the ring. He gets back inside and lands a boot on Keys' midsection, then wears him down with a side headlock. The action spills out of the ring, and Keys sends GUNTHER into one of the barricades midsecton first. He then sends GUNTHER crashing over the announce desk before GNUTHER sends Keys crashing into the ring steps shoulder first and gets back in the ring.

The referee begins a ten count, but Keys beats it and gets GUNTHER up. GUNTHER escapes and lands a right hand on Keys' midsection prior to the commercial break, but Keys levels GUNTHER with a clothesline back from the break.

Keys catches GUNTHER with a suplex, but GUNTHER lands a pair of knees on Keys' midsection and delivers a right hand to his chest. He sends GUNTHER crashing into the announce desk spine first repeatedly and dumps him back in the ring, but GUNTHER looks to land a big boot on Keys. Keys moves out of the way, but GUNTHER levels him with a clothesline.

During another commercial break, Keys lands a superplex on GUNTHER. GUNTHER locks in a sleeper on Keys back from the break, but Solo Sikoa appears at ringside to rally up Keys. Keys connects with a back body drop on GUNTHER, and the two men look to level one another with clotheslines before Keys takes down GUNTHER with a flying clothesline.

Keys lands a splash on GUNTHER and gets him up on one shoulder, but GUNTHER cinches in a sleeper on Keys. Keys fires off elbows on GUNTHER's midsection to escape, then levels him with a shoulder tackle. Sikoa slides a chair into the ring and encourages Keys to use it while the referee is down, but Keys decides against it and throws the chair at Sikoa. This opens the door for GUNTHER to level Keys with a clothesline and follow it up with a powerbomb for the win.

Winner and Undisputed Championship No. 1 Contender: Gunther

— After the match, Gunther talks to the camera and Cody Rhodes runs down and gets in the ring behind Gunther. Rhodes grabs Gunther and hits Crossroads and lays out Gunther. Rhodes welcomes Gunther to SmackDown and the end credits start to roll.