WWE SummerSlam 2026 Results As Gunther Ends Nick Aldis Comeback, Taps Him Out

Aug 02, 2026 06:17 AM - 1 hour ago 1

At WWE SummerSlam 2026, 1 of pro wrestling’s astir amazingly compelling feuds yet came to a head.

Over the past fewer months, SmackDown newcomer Gunther has been a thorn successful the broadside of the bluish brand’s General Manager Nick Aldis, moreover physically attacking him connected much than 1 occasion. Eventually, Aldis overstepped his bounds arsenic a WWE authority figure, and astatine past month’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, he costs “The Career Killer” a imaginable WWE Championship lucifer astatine SummerSlam.

With Aldis shedding the suit and necktie for his tights astatine WWE SummerSlam, the erstwhile NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion looked to do what John Cena, AJ Styles and Goldberg couldn’t: vanquish Gunther.

ForbesWWE SummerSlam 2026 Results As LA Knight Finally Topples The BloodlineBy Blake Oestriecher

WWE SummerSlam 2026 Results For Gunther Vs. Nick Aldis

At WWE SummerSlam, Gunther ensured that Nick Aldis’ return to the ringing was trim short.

After a very entertaining back-and-forth battle, “The Ring General” defeated his longtime nemesis wrong U.S. Bank Stadium by forcing him to pat retired to a sleeper hold, ending Aldis’ little return to the ring.

Here are the cardinal highlights and moments from Gunther’s triumph complete the SmackDown General Manager:

Gunther and Aldis locked up, and “The Ring General” instantly looked to outwrestle the erstwhile SmackDown GM. As Aldis looked to summation momentum, Gunther rolled retired of the ringing and taunted Aldis. Back inside, Gunther blasted Aldis pinch a vicious chop, but Aldis responded pinch immoderate strikes of his own.
Aldis caught a leaping Gunther and picked him up for an awesome stalling DDT that popped the crowd. Aldis grounded to fastener successful a Cloverleaf, and Gunther blasted him pinch different large chop that sent him crashing from the apical rope. Gunther taunted Aldis’ wife, Mickie James, astatine ringside.
Back in, Aldis tried the Cloverleaf again, but Gunther blocked it and chopped him down. Aldis yet ducked a chop attempt, but Gunther whipped him into the turnbuckle back-first aggregate times. Aldis reversed an Irish whip and past deed a backbreaker. He went for the Cloverlead again, but Gunther avoided it and caught him successful a sleeper hold.
Aldis sewage retired of it by sending Gunther head-first into the turnbuckle. Gunther climbed to the apical rope, and Aldis deed a superplex to lefel the playing field. “You still sewage it” chants from the Minneapolis crowd arsenic Aldis fought back. Eventually, Aldis deed a moving clothesline.
Gunther deed 1 of his own, but Aldis responded pinch different clothesline. Aldis deed a moving powerfulness slam for two. Aldis leaped disconnected the apical and missed, but Gunther missed a boot. Aldis deed a footwear and a assemblage slam, past went up top. Aldis leaped disconnected pinch an elbow driblet and went up apical for different one. He deed it connected Gunther’s back, and past attempted a Cloverleaf again. He locked it successful arsenic Gunther crawled to the ropes.
Aldis pulled him distant from the ropes arsenic the crowd erupted, but he was capable to get to the statement aft a agelong struggle. More “You still sewage it!” chants. Gunther sent Aldis look first into the turnbuckle, but Gunther sewage a sleeper clasp locked in. Aldis locked successful 1 of his own, but Gunther escaped and deed a large powerbomb for a adjacent two-count.
Gunther locked successful the sleeper clasp connected Aldis, who fought backmost to his feet. But Gunther dropped backmost down to the mat, forcing Aldis to pat retired for the victory.

WWE SummerSlam 2026 Results: What’s Next For Gunther And Nick Aldis?

Aldis’ WWE SummerSlam lucifer is reportedly a “one off," contempt a beardown showing for the erstwhile TNA Champion.

While Aldis is an accomplished pro wrestler successful his ain right, keeping him arsenic SmackDown’s General Manager, and retired of the ring, is undoubtedly the correct call. One could argue, aft all, that Aldis is possibly the champion on-screen authority fig WWE has had this millennium, arsenic he has brought an aerial of authenticity to the domiciled that galore erstwhile GMs couldn’t.

Though Aldis could perchance beryllium a main arena caliber prima successful WWE, he’s done truthful good successful his existent domiciled that he should proceed successful it moving forward. Aldis sewage his dream lucifer astatine SummerSlam, and he lost. He doesn’t request to wrestle again anytime soon and consequence blurring the lines betwixt wrestler and authority fig truthful overmuch that it dilutes the latter.

Just arsenic Aldis moves on, truthful excessively should Gunther.

After Gunther retired the likes of Goldberg, Styles and Cena complete the past year, WWe’s follow-up to those monumental wins has been, well, meh. Both critics and awesome WWE stars like AJ Styles person criticized WWE’s handling of Gunther’s on-screen characteristic pursuing his monolithic trio of victories, and they’re correct to consciousness that way.

Although Gunther soundly defeated Aldis astatine WWE SummerSlam pinch a submission win, the imaginative squad benignant of backed itself into a area erstwhile Gunther became the “Career Killer.” Now, virtually thing he does short of a ascendant world title reign aliases retiring different fable feels for illustration a immense letdown.

At SummerSlam, WWE took a measurement successful the correct guidance by seemingly ending Gunther’s feud pinch Aldis. Now, the cardinal is to elevate Gunther backmost into world title contention.