Overview
- Cody Rhodes defeated debuting Ricky Saints on Friday’s SmackDown in Tulsa before GUNTHER applied a sleeper hold known as the Gojira Clutch and held up the championship belt.
- WWE has not announced a match, with coverage treating Backlash on May 9 or Clash in Italy on May 31 as possible but unconfirmed dates for a title defense.
- Fan reaction online is mixed, with some cheering GUNTHER’s move into the title picture and others criticizing the booking choice.
- Reports frame GUNTHER as a serious threat, pointing to his recent streak that includes a WrestleMania 42 win over Seth Rollins.
- Commentary highlights more cross-brand appearances, raising fresh questions about how strictly WWE is enforcing the Raw–SmackDown brand split.