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Gunther Assault Spurs Rhodes Challenge; Balor, Stratton Qualify

7/18/2026

42 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

On July 18, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes faced Gunther and Sami Zayn, match ending in a disqualification after Zayn attacked Rhodes.
Gunther attacked SmackDown GM Nick Aldis on July 17, prompting Raw GM Adam Pearce to assume control and sanction Cody Rhodes’s challenge to Gunther.
Finn Balor’s victory over Talla Tonga and Tiffany Stratton’s defeat of Jacy Jayne qualified both for the SummerSlam Women’s Championship ladder match on SmackDown.

History

Historical Context

The July 2024 SmackDown incident, where GM Nick Aldis was attacked by Gunther and Raw GM Adam Pearce sanctioned Cody Rhodes’s title challenge, echoes the authority-driven twists first popularized by the November 9 1997 Montreal Screwjob. That controversial Survivor Series finish, orchestrated by Vince McMahon and referee Earl Hebner, birthed the “Mr. McMahon” heel and set a precedent for managerial interference in championship storylines.

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Story summary

On July 18, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes faced Gunther and Sami Zayn, match ending in a disqualification after Zayn attacked Rhodes.
Gunther attacked SmackDown GM Nick Aldis on July 17, prompting Raw GM Adam Pearce to assume control and sanction Cody Rhodes’s challenge to Gunther.
Finn Balor’s victory over Talla Tonga and Tiffany Stratton’s defeat of Jacy Jayne qualified both for the SummerSlam Women’s Championship ladder match on SmackDown.

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