Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, that members of WWE creative feel a mild sense of frustration and confusion about how GUNTHER has been used on SmackDown.
- Those backstage concerns contrast with GUNTHER's prior run as a feared main-event star who sent Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles into on-screen retirement in 2025.
- Reports point to specific choices that worry creative, including comedic backstage bits and a sequence with Danhausen plus unexpected match losses that have stalled his push.
- Despite the criticism, GUNTHER remains part of the WWE title picture and is reported to be feuding with Finn Bálor, which leaves his booking flexible and subject to quick change.
- The coverage is based on anonymous industry sources via WrestleVotes and Fightful Select and has not been confirmed by WWE, so the situation is fluid and could shift with new creative direction.