Nick Aldis Placed on Administrative Leave After GUNTHER Confrontation, Adam Pearce Takes Over Both Brands

Nick Aldis won’t be walking the SmackDown halls anytime soon. Following an incident at Night of Champions this past weekend, the SmackDown General Manager has been placed on administrative leave, with Raw GM Adam Pearce stepping in to oversee both brands in his absence.

The situation stems from a backstage segment that aired on the Night of Champions post-show, in which GUNTHER — coming off a defeat in the evening’s main event — was seen venting his frustrations to Aldis. The exchange turned physical, and it was Aldis who initiated the contact. On this week’s Raw, Michael Cole announced he had received word from WWE headquarters that both GUNTHER and Aldis had been “sent home” as a result of the confrontation. Aldis’s situation was further clarified as “administrative leave.”

With Aldis sidelined, Pearce will handle dual GM duties across Raw and SmackDown for the foreseeable future.

The Night of Champions main event itself was a significant one — Sami Zayn captured the Undisputed WWE Championship in a three-way match that also featured GUNTHER and Cody Rhodes, leaving the former champion understandably furious heading into the post-show footage.

This isn’t the first time Aldis has found himself in a physical confrontation with talent on WWE television. Previous run-ins with Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre each sparked speculation that Aldis was being positioned for an in-ring return — his first match since October 2023, when he was still competing before transitioning to his GM role. Those storylines ultimately didn’t produce a match, but the heat building between Aldis and GUNTHER feels more pointed than anything that came before it.

Whether this arc finally leads Aldis back between the ropes remains to be seen, but the pieces are certainly in place for a compelling rivalry — and potentially a high-profile showdown down the road.