Cody Rhodes and Gunther will meet for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy after a tense SmackDown segment that nearly saw Royce Keys inserted into the match.
On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Rhodes appeared with a contract for the Clash in Italy title match — an opportunity Paul Heyman had previously arranged — and asked Gunther to sign it. Gunther refused unless Rhodes said please. Rhodes obliged, but Gunther demanded he try again with more respect.
Royce Keys seized on the delay and attempted to sign the contract himself. Gunther entered the ring and snatched the pen out of his hand before he could. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis then appeared and declared that Gunther had forfeited his chance, announcing that Cody’s Clash in Italy opponent would instead be determined by a match between Gunther and Keys later that night.
Gunther had first arrived on SmackDown the previous week. No date has been announced for Clash in Italy.