Wrestling
Backstage Belief; WWE Wants Nick Aldis To Have A Real In-Ring Run
BY SACNILK
There's internal belief within WWE that Nick Aldis will wrestle again following his performance at SummerSlam, though it may not happen until 2027, according to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select. Several people backstage reportedly view Aldis as being as talented, if not more talented, than many of WWE's regular TV performers, and want to see him get a significant in-ring run. Aldis' last match came on Night One of SummerSlam 2026 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, where he stepped away from his desk job to face Gunther in a grudge match built on months of tension between the two. To even get into the ring, Aldis had to resign as SmackDown General Manager. The rivalry had been simmering for a while, stemming from Aldis repeatedly standing in the way of Gunther's pursuit of the Undisputed WWE Championship, including costing him a shot at Saturday Night's Main Event inside Madison Square Garden. Gunther retaliated by attacking Aldis and knocking him out with a sleeper hold, setting the stage for their eventual singles match. It marked Aldis' first match for WWE and his first in-ring appearance in roughly three years. Despite the long layoff, he held his own, hitting a delayed vertical suplex, a powerslam, and locking Gunther in the King's Lynn Cloverleaf to a huge crowd reaction. Gunther ultimately escaped and turned the tide, forcing Aldis to tap out to a sleeper hold. Aldis' wife, WWE Hall of Famer Mickie James, and their son Donovan were ringside for the match, with Gunther taunting them throughout. Aldis has spent recent months serving as SmackDown General Manager, a role widely praised for the authenticity he's brought to it as a former NWA and TNA World Heavyweight Champion turned on-screen authority figure. Following his SummerSlam performance, Triple H reportedly tore up the resignation letter Aldis had submitted to compete against Gunther, keeping him in the GM chair for now. Whether Aldis eventually splits time between the desk and the ring — or steps away from his authority role altogether for a proper run — remains to be seen. For now, it sounds like WWE is content to let the SummerSlam moment breathe before deciding what's next.