Gunther, Cody Rhodes Trade Barbs Before June 1 Italy Title Match

11 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 30

Gunther and Cody Rhodes closed SmackDown with a heated faceoff, escalating their Undisputed WWE Championship feud ahead of Sunday’s Clash in Italy.
Gunther framed Rhodes as an entitled product of nepotism and said he wanted to protect wrestling from him, while Rhodes called him a liar and vowed to prove he was “not that good.”
The confrontation followed a week of sneak attacks by Gunther after he secured the title shot through a favor owed by Paul Heyman, though he told Rhodes those ambushes were over.
Sami Zayn deepened the tension earlier in the show, telling Rhodes he let Gunther choke him out last week so Rhodes could “learn a lesson,” prompting Rhodes to threaten payback after the title match.
Elsewhere on SmackDown, Jade Cargill pinned Alexa Bliss before her women’s title clash with Rhea Ripley, and Carmelo Hayes and Ricky Saints fought to a double countout with a U.S. title shot at stake.

As Cody Rhodes faces Gunther and a resentful Sami Zayn, is his Undisputed WWE Championship reign already in jeopardy?

With real-life animosity fueling their feud, can Rhea Ripley stop Jade Cargill’s destructive path to the championship?

After the contender’s match ended in a double count-out, who will now challenge Trick Williams for the US title?