WWE’s apparent plan for GUNTHER and Finn Balor took an unexpected turn at Crown Jewel, where neither competitor appeared despite promotional material having pointed fans toward a potential singles match between the two SmackDown stars.
The absence was particularly notable because Balor’s program with GUNTHER had intensified in the weeks leading into the event. Instead of delivering that anticipated showdown in Saudi Arabia, WWE left it off a four-match Premium Live Event card. A report from WRKD Wrestling stated that WWE decision-makers felt the match would be better served by additional build, while also viewing the Crown Jewel lineup as sufficiently full with four matches.
“Would be better suited with further build.”
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There is no confirmed date for GUNTHER vs. Balor at this point. However, with Survivor Series: WarGames scheduled for November 28 and still light on officially announced matches, the event immediately stands out as a possible destination for the rivalry. WWE has not announced that the bout will take place there, and the reported decision to hold it back leaves open the question of how much further television development the company intends to give the conflict.
For more background on this topic, read Kacy Catanzaro Proud Of 2019 Royal Rumble Save That Defined Her Early WWE Run.
Why the Crown Jewel omission stood out
GUNTHER and Balor had not been paired in a vacuum. Their respective paths have repeatedly crossed since SummerSlam, where they were involved in a four-way match to determine a new number one contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship. That contest created a foundation for continued tension, and WWE subsequently kept both men in the same competitive orbit.
Although GUNTHER has also been linked with Danhausen during that stretch, Balor has been presented as his most consistent in-ring adversary. The two have met within several three-way matches, allowing WWE to further the rivalry without immediately giving away a one-on-one encounter. That approach can be useful when a promotion wants to preserve a marquee singles meeting, but it also raised expectations that the eventual match would arrive at Crown Jewel.
Those expectations grew considerably on the October 30 episode of SmackDown. Balor revived his Demon persona with help from Danhausen and attacked GUNTHER, giving the angle a more dramatic visual and a stronger sense of escalation. The Demon has historically been used as a special presentation for Balor, and its reemergence made the prospect of a major singles match feel more immediate.
With that angle fresh in viewers’ minds, Balor and GUNTHER not traveling to Saudi Arabia became one of the more conspicuous omissions from the event. Promotional material had already helped establish the idea of their encounter. As a result, the decision was not simply a case of WWE never teasing a match; it was a shift away from what appeared to be the next logical step in their story.
More build could mean a bigger stage
The reported rationale suggests WWE believes the GUNTHER-Balor match has greater value with more narrative investment behind it. The company has several ways it could extend the issue without rushing directly into the first singles contest. Balor’s Demon transformation and Danhausen’s involvement have added layers beyond a straightforward competitive rivalry, while GUNTHER’s standing as one of WWE’s most imposing featured performers gives the match a natural sense of importance.
That does not necessarily mean the match was delayed because of any change in either wrestler’s status or availability. No such explanation has been provided. The report framed the decision as a matter of creative timing and card construction: WWE higher-ups reportedly wanted a longer build, and they believed Crown Jewel’s four-match lineup did not require another bout.
That distinction matters. A match being held back can often signal that a promotion sees it as more valuable later, especially when the television angle has already generated a clear audience expectation. At the same time, delaying a teased encounter creates pressure for WWE to make the eventual payoff feel worthwhile. The October 30 angle was direct and physical, and fans now have reason to expect a firm explanation for why GUNTHER and Balor did not settle matters at Crown Jewel.
WWE could also use the extra time to define the role Danhausen will play going forward. His association with GUNTHER has already been part of the broader story, while his assistance in Balor’s Demon return further intertwined the three characters. Whether that leads to outside involvement, a separate confrontation, or merely psychological games ahead of a singles match remains unconfirmed.
Survivor Series becomes the obvious possibility
The next major WWE Premium Live Event on the calendar is Survivor Series: WarGames on November 28. Only one match has been announced for that show: a traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series bout featuring Team USA against Team Mexico, with Rey Mysterio leading the United States side.
Survivor Series is also expected to include men’s and women’s WarGames matches, along with at least one additional contest. That leaves room for a featured non-WarGames singles bout, which is why GUNTHER vs. Balor will naturally be among the matches viewers watch for as WWE continues its weekly programming.
There are reasons the pairing could fit that event. Survivor Series has long been a show built around high-stakes personal issues and major team confrontations, and GUNTHER against a revived Demon Balor carries a presentation distinct from a standard television match. If WWE’s aim is to make the first one-on-one meeting feel like an attraction, a major Premium Live Event would be a logical setting.
Still, that remains speculation rather than an announced plan. The report did not identify a replacement date, nor did it specify whether WWE intends to add further matches or angles before finally booking the contest. The company could choose Survivor Series, wait until a later event, or alter the direction of the program altogether. Until WWE makes the match official, the only certainty is that Crown Jewel was not the destination many fans expected.
What WWE needs to address on SmackDown
The key question heading into the next episode of SmackDown is how WWE handles the aftermath of the Crown Jewel absence. Because Balor’s Demon persona returned specifically in an attack on GUNTHER, the rivalry has an unfinished quality that should require follow-up. Simply moving past the angle would make the prior promotion and the October 30 escalation feel disconnected.
WWE has an opportunity to use the delay productively. GUNTHER can respond to Balor’s attack and to the reappearance of the Demon, while Balor can explain why he needed Danhausen’s help and why this version of himself is necessary to deal with GUNTHER. The longer build reported for the match will be judged by whether it adds meaningful stakes rather than merely postponing a match viewers were prepared to see.
For GUNTHER, the program offers an opponent with a different kind of threat. Balor’s Demon character introduces an element of unpredictability, while his connection to Danhausen gives the story an unusual dynamic. For Balor, a singles victory over GUNTHER would be a significant statement, particularly after their repeated involvement in multi-person matches rather than a definitive one-on-one battle.
Crown Jewel’s compact card may have been enough in WWE’s view, but it also ensured that the attention would shift to the missing matchup. Now, WWE must turn that attention into momentum. The company has already established the personalities, the animosity and the visual hook of Demon Balor standing opposite GUNTHER. What it has not yet provided is the date when those elements will finally lead to a sanctioned singles match.
For now, the GUNTHER vs. Finn Balor bout remains delayed rather than canceled. The coming weeks of SmackDown, and especially the road to Survivor Series: WarGames, should reveal whether WWE’s decision to wait turns an expected Crown Jewel match into a more substantial attraction.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.