SmackDown recap & reactions (May 15, 2026): GUNTHER nearly blows it

Columbia, South, Carolina, played host to the SmackDown after Backlash, and the show featured a video package of highlights from last week’s PLE. However, not much of what happened at Backlash figured into tonight’s action, where the biggest story once again involved Cody Rhodes and GUNTHER. 

GUNTHER overplays his hand

After a couple of matches at the top of the show, Cody makes his way to the ring to cut his typical babyface promo. (That being said, he does this well.) He wants GUNTHER to sign the contract to face him at Clash in Italy for the Undisputed WWE Championship, which Paul Heyman pulled some strings to make happen. Soon enough, GUNTHER comes out, insults the American audience in evil foreign heel mode, and The American Nightmare gets the crowd into it with a fiery response.

Rhodes apparently didn’t motivate the Austrian challenger enough, because GUNTHER wants a more emphatic “please” from the champ. Suddenly, Royce Keys emerges from the back to try to sign the contract for the chance to take on Cody. This results in some fun wrestling over an ink pen between Royce and GUNTHER before SmackDown GM Nick Aldis comes from backstage and tells GUNTHER: “You overplayed your hand.” 

In fact, Aldis repeats several times that he overplayed his hand in front of the audience and then again a little bit later during a backstage segment. So, just know: GUNTHER overplayed his hand. WWE really wants to emphasize that. 

All this overplaying of the hand sets up the night’s main event between GUNTHER and Keys with the winner getting to challenge Rhodes for his championship on May 31 in Turin, Italy. 

The unexpected matchup between GUNTER and Royce has the true feel of a main event, which isn’t always the case for WWE’s weekly shows. As to be expected, the match itself is very physical with a lot of chops and Keys leaving with a bloody lip. Solo Sikoa attempts to aid Keys, only for the strong man to reject his help, though the diversion allows GUNTER to regain the momentum and pin Royce after a powerbomb. GUNTHER’s celebration ends quickly when Cody attacks from behind to end the show.

In the end, we’re getting Rhodes versus GUNTHER at Clash in Italy, which we were all expecting to see anyway. As much fun as it would have been to see Cody against Royce, WWE is struggling to find a place for GUNTHER right now, so the result here builds to the big PLE face-off. Plus, Keys is now primed for a feud against Sikoa and The MFTS. 

GUNTHER is headed to ITALY.

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