During the August 4 episode of Monday Night Raw, WWE commentator Michael Cole announced that former World Heavyweight Champion Gunther will be out of action indefinitely. Cole stated to the television audience that Gunther suffered a septal hematoma and an orbital blowout fracture during his match against CM Punk at SummerSlam.
The Storyline Injury at SummerSlam
The on-air injury announcement provides a storyline explanation for the conclusion of the main event of SummerSlam Night One, where Gunther lost the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk. After the match, Gunther was shown with a bloody nose. The announcement on Raw now officially attributes that visual to the severe-sounding fractures, explaining why he will be absent from WWE programming.
Reports of Legitimate Surgery
This storyline injury appears to be a way to write Gunther off of television to allow him to have a legitimate medical procedure. It was previously reported by outlets like the Wrestling Observer that the bloody nose at SummerSlam was a planned angle and that Gunther was scheduled to undergo legitimate nose surgery in the near future.
End of a Dominant Reign
Gunther’s time off comes at the end of a highly successful run on the main roster. Before winning the World Heavyweight Championship, he held the Intercontinental Championship for a record-breaking 666 days, establishing himself as one of the company’s most dominant and physical in-ring performers. His hard-hitting style has been a hallmark of his tenure in WWE.
A Chaotic Title Change
The night Gunther lost his title and suffered his storyline injury was a chaotic one for the championship. Immediately after CM Punk defeated him, Seth Rollins appeared and successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on a vulnerable Punk to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, a storyline that will now move forward without Gunther’s presence on Monday Night Raw. There is currently no official timetable for Gunther’s return to action.
Cole just announced Gunther will be out indefinitely because of an orbital fracture.pic.twitter.com/F0H8dkRdbh
— Julian Weeks (@JulianWks) August 5, 2025
