A new report has shed light on the status of former World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER, whose absence from WWE programming since last month has left a noticeable gap at the top of the card.
His last appearance came at SummerSlam on August 2, where he dropped the championship to CM Punk in the main event. The conclusion of that bout quickly unraveled into further chaos, as Seth Rollins capitalized on the moment, cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on a battered Punk to claim the title. The sequence effectively pushed GUNTHER out of the championship picture altogether.
Complicating matters, the absence was not only storyline-driven. GUNTHER had been dealing with legitimate injuries heading into SummerSlam, including a nose issue that required surgery, and WWE announced he would be sidelined indefinitely following the event. In the six weeks since, he has not appeared on Raw or at any live events.
That uncertainty now seems to be nearing an end. The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter addressed his status directly, reporting: “Gunther is expected back very soon.”
Although no return date was specified, the update indicates that the former champion is on the verge of reentering a World Heavyweight Championship picture that has shifted considerably in his absence.