WWE has officially announced that Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will defend his championship against Gunther at WWE Clash in Italy on Sunday, May 31.

Gunther first made his intentions clear on the May 1 episode of SmackDown when he launched an attack on Rhodes and declared that he was coming for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The Ring General later called in a favor from Paul Heyman, who helped establish a contract for the high-stakes title bout. Moments after the agreement was introduced, Gunther attempted another assault on Rhodes, only for The American Nightmare to fight back and stand tall over his challenger.

The rivalry escalated further one week later when Gunther refused to sign the contract under Rhodes’ conditions. That confrontation led to Royce Keys stepping forward and volunteering to take Gunther’s place in the championship match. In response, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis made an Undisputed WWE Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match between Gunther and Keys to determine Rhodes’ official opponent for WWE Clash in Italy.

Gunther ultimately defeated Keys, officially signed the contract, and confirmed his move to SmackDown in the process. The victory cemented The Ring General as the next challenger for Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship at the upcoming premium live event.

WWE Clash in Italy takes place Sunday, May 31, beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. The event will stream in the United States on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan and internationally on Netflix.

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