Gunther has hand-picked a special guest referee for his Undisputed WWE Championship rematch against Cody Rhodes. The bout is set for the Friday, June 19, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown from Kansas City, Missouri.
The stipulation came together on the June 12 episode of SmackDown in Providence, Rhode Island. Earlier in the night, The Ring General told the SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis he wanted the right to name a special referee for the proposed rematch with The American Nightmare.
What made Gunther’s eventual pick so loaded was the segment that preceded it. After a scathing in-ring promo that saw Rhodes go off on Sami Zayn, Gunther informed the blue brand boss that Zayn will be the man wearing the ref shirt.
A Loaded Referee Choice
The decision sets up a built-in conflict of interest. Gunther, selecting the very man Rhodes had just berated, suggests The Career-Killer is banking on lingering bad blood between the champion and Zayn to tilt the rematch in his favor.
The rematch stems from the controversial finish at Clash In Italy, after which Rhodes offered Gunther another shot at the title. Now this stipulation from the Ring General shows his ability to think beyond just straining his opponent physically, as Cody will be going into the title defence not only concerned about his championship but his friendship with Zayn as well.