Summary

Gunther is now officially part of the SmackDown roster.

The move was confirmed on the May 9 episode of SmackDown when Gunther appeared alongside Paul Heyman, one week after targeting Cody Rhodes after SmackDown. During the segment, Gunther was presented with a contract that was later revealed to be for an Undisputed WWE Championship match against Rhodes at Clash in Italy.

Before the signing could be completed, Rhodes made his way to the ring and interrupted the moment.

What happened during the contract segment

Gunther took issue with Rhodes cutting into the segment and made it clear he believed the moment belonged to him. Instead of signing the contract in the ring, he left the segment without putting pen to paper.

That leaves the title match teased but not formally finalized on screen, even with Gunther's SmackDown move now confirmed.

What Gunther's move means for Clash in Italy

Gunther being added to SmackDown immediately places him at the center of the brand's top title picture with Rhodes. It also gives WWE a direct follow-up to the attack angle that started the issue last week.

Just as important, the unsigned contract gives the rivalry another step before Clash in Italy. SmackDown now has a clear hook for the next chapter, whether that means a formal signing or another confrontation between Rhodes and Gunther.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.