Illustration of Nick Aldis and GUNTHER in altercation
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WWE places Nick Aldis on administrative leave after altercation

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English

WWE has placed SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis on administrative leave following a physical altercation with Gunther after Night of Champions.

The incident occurred backstage in Saudi Arabia after Sami Zayn defeated Gunther and Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions. Gunther confronted Aldis over perceived slights in Europe and Saudi Arabia. Aldis warned Gunther not to touch him before shoving the wrestler, leading Gunther to grab Aldis by the shirt and tie. Agents separated the two.

On the latest episode of Raw, Michael Cole announced that both men had been sent home. Aldis was placed on administrative leave and is under investigation. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce will oversee both Raw and SmackDown in the interim.

Details on the length of the investigation or Gunther's return to SmackDown remain unclear.

What people are saying

Initial reactions on X treat the announcement as WWE storyline kayfabe from Raw, with fans noting Adam Pearce as temporary GM replacement. Sentiments include skepticism about fairness to Aldis vs. Gunther, calls for a future Aldis-Gunther match at SummerSlam, questions on whether the decision was right, and speculation about Paul Heyman involvement.

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